


Year Two | Harry Potter and the Horror of Slytherin's Heir

by unofficialsherlockian



Series: Slytherin Will Help You to Greatness [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Gen, Good Slytherins, Slytherin Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-02-14 04:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 24,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13000209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unofficialsherlockian/pseuds/unofficialsherlockian
Summary: It's Harry's second year at Hogwarts, but he's already been warned by a house elf that it'll be dangerous for him. Bad things start piling up and two things are clear: Muggle-borns are under attack, and someone doesn't want Harry at school anymore. Harry and his friends suspect Malfoy, the school suspects Harry, and as the year goes on, Harry learns that the suspicion towards him may not be without reason. But soon, he and his friends uncover a deeper danger, one that will put Hogwarts' future at risk if they are unable to stop it.Part Two of a Slytherin Harry AU, continuing off the events of the alternative Philosopher's Stone adventure.(Re-named from Year Two to as it is now)





	1. Dare to Return?

Harry awoke one night to a loud noise and tapping at his window. Fumbling for his glasses, he considered being a floor up from the ground, and the bars on his window. But all concerned left his mind as he saw the source of the noise.

Ron Weasley was outside his window.

In a car. A _flying_ car.

And, of course, Fred and George Weasley were in the front.

Harry threw open the window so they could talk. "Ron?"

"Hey there, Potter," George said cheerfully.

"Why haven't you been answering my letters?" Ron asked.

"Long story--"

"Anyways, Potter, we're here to take you with us. Grab your trunk." They tied a rope around the bars and reversed the car, pulling the bars clean off the window. Harry listened but it didn't sound like anyone had been woken by the noise. Fred and George climbed in the window, looking around. "Where's your Hogwarts stuff?"

"Downstairs, there's a cupboard under the stairs--"

"Remember that we need to teach you to pick locks like a muggle," Fred told him.

Harry dashed about his room, throwing things to Ron through the window. Fred and George quickly reappeared, sliding the trunk out and climbing after it. Hedwig let out a screech.

"I wouldn't have forgotten you!" Harry hissed, grabbing her cage and diving into the car. Vernon burst into the room, shouting, as they pulled away.

"Not very nice, is he?" Ron commented. He and Harry grinned at each other.

Fred and George were quiet for a while as they flew. The George, who wasn't driving, turned to Harry. "We figured the Muggles were keeping your letters from you."

Harry shook his head, telling them all about Dobby's visit.

"Fishy," Fred said.

George nodded. "I bet his master sent you there to keep you from Hogwarts. Do you know anyone who would think that's a good idea?"

"Malfoy," Harry and Ron said together.

"Lucius Malfoy's son?" Fred asked.

"I heard he's an ex-Death Eater," George said darkly.

"Death Eater?"

"You-Know-Who's supporters." Ron paused. "Theo mentioned his dad used to be friends with some Slytherins. Should ask if he knows the Malfoys...if they own house-elves."

"His dad didn't just pal around with Slytherins, he was one as well--"

"Pal around?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"No offense, Potter." George grinned at him. "We're palling around with you right now."

They arrived eventually at the Weasley's house, the Burrow. After the Weasley boys got a lecture from Mrs Weasley, Harry followed them to the garden to help de-gnome it. to Harry's surprise, Theo joined them a little while later from inside.

"Hiya, Harry. Glad you finally arrived."

"When did you get here?" Harry asked, over George's shout of triumph from his latest gnome throw.

"Three days ago," Ron said. "Theo, we've got to ask you something."

"yeah," Fred said, joining them. "Was your dad ever friends with Lucius Malfoy?"

Theo paused. "He still is. Why?"

Harry explained their theory about Dobby.

"The Malfoy's have loads of house-elves. Most rich wizarding families do, actually. Do you really think he would try to stop you from coming back?"

Harry shrugged. "If he had the chance."

 

Harry's days passed at the Burrow quickly. one morning, he woke early to find a pile of Hogwarts letters at the table, friend and george alone and eating breakfast by themselves.

"Potter, before you read that, we want to ask you something."

Harry got himself cereal as well and sat across from them, putting the letter beside his orange juice. "Yeah?"

The twins exchanged looks. "We noticed--there was a kid's mattress in that cupboard--"

"--You're allowed to say the Muggles just stored it there--"  
"--But you can't blame us for asking--"

"--Even the bedroom you were in seemed like a storage room for Muggle junk. looked like Dad's shed, almost--"

"Yes," Harry said impatiently before he could consider lying. "I-er... yeah, I used to sleep down there.

Fred and George exchanged dark looks. "Why didn't you say anything to Ron? He would've mentioned it to Mum, she would've marcher over there--"

"It doesn't come up, usually." Harry tore open his Hogwarts letter. "Why do we need all these Lockhart books? Isn't that the wizard your mum has a crush on?"

Fred shook his head. "Our list is the same. Bet you anything the new DADA teacher is a witch who fancies him."

Just then, Ginny walked in, looking nervously from Harry to the twins. Ginny seemed to be incredibly shy around Harry. Ron seemed to find it funny; he swore Ginny had a crush on him, as much as Harry told him it was ridiculous. By their faces, it seemed the twins felt the same. They stood, winking at Harry, and leaving the room.

"Later, Potter."

Ginny sat opposite Harry with toast, busying herself with her Hogwarts letter. Then, to Harry's surprise, she spoke quietly. "Is Slytherin as bad as Fred and George make it out to be?"

Harry blinked. "I like it there. Some people at prats, but that's probably every house."

Ginny bit her lip. "They say it's cold, and scary, and for evil wizards."

"Well, knowing them, they're only teasing." Harry looked at her. "Your whole family is in Gryffindor, you probably won't end up in Slytherin." Then he frowned. "Although my whole family was in Gryffindor too."

"Did you want to be put in Gryffindor?"

Harry nodded. "The hat was between the two for me. But it decided Slytherin in the end." Ginny nodded. "Do you want to be in Gryffindor?"

Ginny shrugged. "If I don't I think everyone will be disappointed. If I am, I feel like I'll have to work even harder to prove myself. I'll just be another Weasley." Harry nodded. He knew Ron had had similar thoughts.

"Well, you're not just another Weasley to me," Harry said. Ginny blushed furiously. "You all are very different people, I mean," Harry said lamely.

 

Soon after an eventful trip to Diagon Alley which led to Harry's photo with Lockhart making front page of the Prophet, and Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy almost getting into a fight, they were all on Platform 9 3/4. The Weasley's went in first, then Theo, leaving Ron and Harry, who at once took off together so as not to waste anytime. But the barrier was closed.

They quickly determined that their best course of action was to take Mr Weasley's flying car from the parking lot and fly it to school. The journey was long, but it would have been flawless if they hadn't crashed into a lively tree on the grounds.

Bruised, they walked up to the castle, peering into the window of the Great Hall.

"We've missed the sorting," Ron said. "Where's Ginny?"

Harry and Ron tried to spot her head of read long hair in the sea of students at Gryffindor table.

"Wait," Harry said. "Where's Snape?"

"Maybe he's left," Ron said hopefully.

"Or he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the train."

Harry's heart sunk as they spun to see Snape standing behind them. He looked as furious as ever as he led them into the castle and down into the dungeons, away from the warmth and into his office. Snape closed the door behind them, and swooped through the room to stand behind his desk. Harry shivered, wishing it had been warmer. Snape spared him a glare before pointing his wand into the fireplace to light a small fire.

"You were seen," he said, "by six or seven Muggles. It's our law to keep our magic secret from them, let alone a flying _car_."

Harry blinked. He didn't think many wizards knew what a car was. 

"You also did damage to a Whomping Willow on the grounds--"

"It did more damage to us than--" Ron started.

"Silence!" Snape hissed. There was a knock on the door. "Enter."

McGonagall entered, looking more stern than Harry had ever seen her.

"Explain," she said shortly. And Ron and Harry did, launching into the story, trying to avoid making it seem like Ron's family owned the car. They both avoided their Heads of Houses' eyes nervously.

"Why didn't you owl us?" McGonagall asked. Harry stole a look at Ron who looked just as shocked as he felt.

"We didn't think," Harry said stupidly.

"Obviously."

"We'll go and get our stuff," Ron said quietly.

"What do you mean?" McGonagall asked.

"You're going to expel us."

McGonagall frowned. "As your head of house, you are my responsibility, Mr Weasley. I will not be expelling you. You will receive detention, however, and I will be writing to your family."

Ron let out a breath and Harry tried to smile at him unsuccessfully. He didn't think Snape would be so lenient. 

"You may return to the feast," McGonagall said. Ron hesitated, giving Harry a nervous look, before following McGonagall out of Snape's office.


	2. Surprising Decisions

"Are you going to expel me?" Harry asked Snape nervously. Snape pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Unfortunately, that would be incredibly foolish since Weasley wasn't expelled." Had it not been a serious conversation, Harry would've laughed about McGonagall's influence on Snape for the second year in a row. Snape looked at Harry. "So you'll also get detention. I should also write to your family--"

Harry snorted. "They'll just be glad the tree didn't kill me."

Snape froze. Harry shut his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant for it to come out of his mouth, but he had a habit of speaking without thinking. He avoided Snape's piercing gaze as seconds of silence trickled by.

"You live with your aunt and uncle, correct?" Snape's tone was impossible to read. Harry nodded mutely. "Petunia and..."

"Vernon Dursley," Harry said, glancing at Snape. Snape suddenly waved his wand, and Harry flinched, mistaking Snape's quiet for anger. Snape stepped backward away from Harry and Harry looked up to see that a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice had appeared on Snape's desk. He looked back to Snape, frowning in confusion.

"I will be writing to your...family," Snape said firmly. He spoke again, seemingly more to himself than Harry. "Interesting to note, Slytherin houses the bulk of students who come from unhappy homes. Abusive households. Hufflepuff being a close second, or so I've heard from Professor Sprout." Harry frowned. Snape continued. "Unfortunately, Slytherins have a tendency to keep things ... private, and so never discuss these matters with their head of house, meaning nothing can be done about it."

He met Harry's eyes for a moment before gesturing to the plate. "You will have dinner here and then head straight to the common room. The password is 'boomslang'."

Harry nodded and Snape swept out of the room. He sat, eating sandwiches thoughtfully before quickly heading off through the empty corridors for Slytherin. "Boomslang," he said to the wall, and stepped in, immediately mobbed by everyone.

"Such a Gryffindor thing to do, Potter--"

"It was brilliant!"

"Did Gryffindor get points taken off?" Harry blinked in shock at the familiar voice. He pushed past Gemma to see Ginny Weasley standing by the fire, grinning at him.

"Ginny?"

"Potter!" she said, mockingly. Her voice shook with nerves, but she looked pleased. "You're almost as surprised as I am."

Harry nodded. "Well, congratulations. You can help us get back at Ron and the others for stealing the House Cup from us last year." Ginny blushed, smiling.

"Well done," Theo said from beside Harry. Harry turned and grinned. They began to walk up to the dormitory together. "I sent Snape an owl once you two didn't turn up on the train," Theo explained. They walked into the familiar room to find Blaise laying in his bed, reading. "He made me. Had no idea you would steal Mr Weasley's car."

Blaise smiled at Harry. "Merlin, Snape didn't expel you both?"

"McGonagall didn't expel Ron, so Snape said he couldn't expel me." Harry laughed at Blaise's expression. "Did you have a good summer?"

Blaise nodded. "My mother took us traveling. She's got a new boyfriend." He shook his head.

Malfoy entered and looked well ready to draw his curtains and block them all out, but Harry spoke up.

"Hey, Malfoy, have you got a house elf called Dobby?"

Malfoy froze, staring at Harry. "How do you know about Dobby?"

Harry had expected Malfoy to be so gleeful about his prank that he would at once admit to it.

"Something Mr Weasley mentioned," Theo said quickly. Malfoy frowned before drawing the curtains and Nox-ing his wand. Once the others had gone to bed, Harry and Theo explained to Blaise about the house elf's visit to Privet Drive.

"Then it's got to be Malfoy," Blaise said. "House elves don't act like that on their own."

"He's said he'd have to punish himself for it," Harry said uncertainly. "He wouldn't have to do that if he was obeying orders, would he?"

"No but he could have lied if his orders were to not give anything away," Theo said thoughtfully. "We'll have to see. Malfoy couldn't block the entrance to the platform, could he? Maybe it's someone else. More powerful."

"Just we need," Blaise said, "another unusual year here."

 

The next day, Ron was sent a Howler at breakfast. The entire hall heard Mrs Weasley's shrieks about the stolen car, and Harry hung his head, feeling guilty.

"Cheer up," Millicent said. "We're getting our schedules, look!"

Theo shook his head. "That's not very cheerful."

Snape came by, not even pausing to speak with Harry as he handed out schedules to the Slytherins. Harry figured all was normal between them again.

"Oh," Theo's tone of relief made Harry turn. "Charms with Ravenclaw first."

Jessica frowned at him. "Why is that so good?"

"Because it's not Lockhart," Harry said, ignoring her jaw drop in shock. "Don't be so happy, Theo, we've got him with Gryffindor in the afternoon.

After a lesson involving escaped Pixies, many of their year had made up their minds that Lockhart was insane.

"He's not so bad," Jessie said as they exited the classroom.

Harry cast a "repairo" on his bent glasses, a product of the "lesson. "Not so bad?" he said incredulously.

"Jessie, he set loose pixies, and left us all to deal with them."

"He just wanted to give us some hands on experience," Hermione said.

"Hands on?" Ron muttered. 

"Better than last year, Quirrell was always too afraid to."

Harry and Ron exchanged eye rolls. 

 

After a run in with Lockhart and a Gryffindor first year called Colin "I'm a Muggle-born! I want to learn how to make photos move!" Harry was exhausted at the prospect of seeing either of them again.

But Herbology had been interesting. He and Theo had worked next to a pair of Hufflepuffs, repotting mandrakes. Harry didn't particularly like the screaming plants, but as always, he was amazed of the strangeness that made up the magical world.

They were headed to the library to meet with Ron and Hermione when Flint stopped Harry in the hall.

"Potter, you're the last one I've got to speak with."

"Try outs for the new chaser?" Harry asked.

"We've got one," Flint said.

"Who--"

"Not now, I've got class in five minutes." Flint shrugged. "Tomorrow, early morning. 7am. We're holding a practice to get coordinated. Gotta win that cup, yeah?"

"It's the first week, Flint--"

"So no other teams will be training this early!" Flint grinned his toothy grin and Harry grimaced back. "7am!"

"He's mad," Harry said.

Ron however, was understanding. "You guys did lose last year. I expect he just wants as to try hard as he can."

"We'll come watch," Hermione said. Ron nodded.

"You guys will," Theo said. "I'm going to catch up on sleep." he looked at Harry. "What did that Creevey kid want?"

"A signed photo," Harry muttered. Ron snorted.

"Bet Ginny would like one."

"What for, she sees the real me in the common room all the time," Harry shot back. Ron's smile fell.

"Can't believe she was sorted into Slytherin," Ron muttered. "We're all Gryffindors in the family."

"Slytherin's no so bad, you know," Theo reminded him. "I mean, fogetting Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle."

"And Pansy," Harry said. "Don't let her hear anything about signed photos or the entire school will get wind of it and think it's serious." He rolled his eyes at Theo's laugh.

"I know," Ron said. "But I'm allowed to worry about her."

"She's got us to look after her, when we can," Harry said dismissively.

"See, we told you you were being stupid," Hermione said. At Harry's expression she explained. "Night you got here late in that car, Ron was up late stressing about Ginny being in Slytherin."

"If Malfoy's family called you blood-traitors, so would you," Ron said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm a Muggle-born, Ron."

"And I'm a half-blood," Harry said. "There are worse things Malfoy could say. Ginny will be fine."


	3. Slugs and Sounds

Harry found to his discomfort that a small Gryffindor boy was staring at him across the Great Hall as he ate. It was Colin. Harry put his head down as the boy hurried over and a flash of light struck him.

"Hi Harry!" Colin grinned at him. "Can I get a proper photo?"

"No, I've got Quidditch practice." Harry grabbed his toast and Nimbus, hurrying to go outside. Colin followed.

"I'll get a good seat!" the boy said cheerily.

Harry took off in the air, feeling glad to be flying again. Colin was taking photos, he could hear the clicking of the camera but tried his best to ignore it. Flint rose beside him.

"Why is that kid taking photos?" Flint asked. He squinted. "Gryffindor spy?" He laughed.

Harry frowned. "He wants photos of me."

"Alright well, come on down. I want a quick team meeting."

Harry saw Ron and Hermione climbing into the stands with plates from the Great Hall and smiled. 

Flint looked around at the team, and then, to Harry's shock, Draco Malfoy walked out the the locker room. "Draco Malfoy is our new Chaser, so we need to start training early to get him caught up."

"Malfoy?" Harry asked softly.

Flint nodded, then tossed dark brooms to the team. Harry caught one, wide-eyed once he saw the name on the handle. Nimbus 2001.

"Draco's father sent the team the latest model. He wants to see Slytherin win this year."

Harry tossed the broom back at Malfoy who caught it, frowning.

"I like my own broom just fine, thanks."

It wasn't just out of bitterness at Malfoy probably buying his way onto the team; Harry did like his broom. It had been his first broom, and got him through last year. And it was a mark of how lucky he'd been to get on the team last year as a first year at all; Snape had sent it to him after begrudgingly agreeing to let him play.

Flint frowned at Harry but suddenly turned as someone shouted: "I booked the pitch! Booked it!"

The Slytherins made faces at the Gryffindor team, but Harry gave a slow wave Fred and George, who both looked like they hadn't quite woken up yet.

"Plenty of room for us both, Wood," Flint said lazily.

Wood frowned. "I booked the pitch to keep away from other teams for now." Flint handed him a note.

"Read it. Snape gave us permission."

"New chaser?" Wood asked.

"Who?" asked Fred.

"Draco Malfoy.

The twins made identical gagging faces and Harry snorted, ignoring Malfoy's outraged look.

"Oh," Flint said. "A field invasion."

Ron and Hermione had obviously come down to see what was going on. "What's Malfoy doing here?" Ron asked immediately.

"I'm the new chaser. My father bought us new brooms because we can afford the best," Malfoy boasted.

Ron gasped, looking at the brooms. Hermione looked from the Slytherin team to Harry, still gripping his Nimbus 2000 and smiled. "Well, at least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," she said. "And your seeker values talent over money."

"I didn't ask your opinion, mudblood," hissed Malfoy.

Harry blinked as the Gryffindor team gasped and the Slytherin team members made mixed faces. Ron had his wand out an instant in an attempt to curse Malfoy, but as it had been snapped by the willow, it backfired, sending Ron to his knees, doubled over and belching slugs.

The Slytherin team exploded with laughter. Harry ignored them, helping Hermione get Ron up and attempting to ignore Colin, who was trying to get photos of the occasion.

"Let's go to Hagrid's. It's closest."

"Shouldn't you be staying to practice with your team?" Wood snapped at him nastily as the Slytherins kept laughing at Ron. Harry paused for a second to glare tiredly at Wood.

"No. I don't value Quidditch over people." He shrugged. "Besides, I reckon I'll do better than anyone out here even without the practice."

And he left all 13 players gaping at him.

"It's a team sport, Harry, should you have said that?" Hermione said, as they trekked to Hagrid's hut.

Harry nodded firmly. "Wood and the Slytherin team think I'm one of them. But I'm not. I'm not laughing at whatever Malfoy called you, and I'm not making fun of Ron."

Ron coughed up a slug in response.

"And I'm not taking Malfoy's stupid bribe broom. If he wants friends and teammates, he's gotta do that on his own."

 

Hagrid beamed when he saw them, stepping backwards as Ron promptly vomited slugs onto his floor.

"Was wonderin' when yeh'd be comin' down. Where's Theo?"

"It's not really a social call--Ron--"

Hagrid nodded. And handed Ron a giant bucket. "Jus' gotta wait til it stops." He sat down, frowning at them. "Who were yeh tryin' teh curse, Ron?"

"Malfoy," said Hermione, as Ron let out another slug. "He called me a... I'm not sure what it is, but it must have been bad. He called me a mudblood."

Hagrid looked shocked.

Ron swallowed, looking green. "It's a disgusting word for someone who's muggleborn. Pure-blood is what they want to call people from all magic families. Families who sometimes think they're better than everyone."

"Figures the Malfoys are a bunch of racists," said Harry, over the sound of Ron vomiting again. "So get this, Hagrid, Malfoy's bought himself onto the Slytherin Quidditch team."

"Can he fly?"

"Dunno." Harry and Ron exchanged looks. "Well, last year I saw him fly a little, and he seemed alright. As long as he can keep up with the rest of us."

"If you're still on the team," Hermione said pointedly. Hagrid looked from her to Harry, bemused. "Harry told his team, and the Gryffindors, that he could fly better than any of them, without practice."

Hagrid laughed, to Hermione's shock. "He's probably right." Harry grinned at him. "But yeh could've put it more nicely."

"They were laughing at Ron and wanted me to take Malfoy's stupid bribe-broom." Harry shook his head. "I'm not going to be nice to anyone who isn't nice to my friends."

"Eh, yer heart's in the righ' place, that's what counts," Hagrid said, beaming at him.

 

At lunch, Harry filled in Theo and Blaise on what had happened, Millicent and Jessica listening in so closely that Harry figured the Slytherin team had already spread a version of the story.

Theo and Blaise looked at each other darkly. "A lot of the Slytherins will be like that," Theo said.

"Yeah," Blaise shook his head. "There's a lot of people that look down at half-bloods like you even, Harry," Blaise said quietly.

"Well it's stupid," Harry said, shoving a sandwich into his mouth.

"I'm gonna have to visit Hagrid soon," Theo said. "Since I missed this trip."

"You didn't have to deal with slugs all over the floor, so consider yourself lucky."

Blaise snorted.

"Mr. Potter."

Harry spun around to see Snape. "Sir?"

"You are to serve your detention tonight," Snape said. He pulled a face. "Professor Lockhart requested you held him answer his 'fan mail' however, I was planning on having your clean out cauldrons." Snape raised his eyebrows at Harry. "I'll leave the decision to you."

Harry nearly laughed. "I'll clean cauldrons, sir." Snape gave a curt nod.

"Tonight, 8 o'clock. My classroom. I'll inform Lockhart that he will be on his own."

"I'd love to overhear that conversation," Blaise laughed.

 

Eight pm that evening saw Harry knocking on Snape's classroom door before entering. Snape raised his head from whatever he was reading at his desk at the front briefly before looking down again. Harry saw that Snape had set out a surprising number of cauldrons for Harry to clean, and so he rolled up his sleeves, figuring he would get good practice for his scourgify charm. 

After the second cauldron, a thought struck Harry. "Did my aunt and uncle ever respond to your owl, sir?" He wasn't sure how to feel about it, as he wouldn't have to discuss it with them until the summer. And hopefully the Dursley's would have forgotten by then.

Snape looked up, his mouth becoming a small, straight line. "No. I didn't expect them to."

Harry bit his lip hesitantly. "What did you say?"

There was a pause, and it seemed like Snape was deliberating not telling him. "I wrote that formalities dictated that I inform them that you had caused damage to the willow and were seen using a flying car, but that they would not have to deal with any repercussions as we were giving you the appropriate punishment." Snape paused. "I also mentioned that they would do well to consider giving you more appropriate punishments in the future over the summer holidays than fitting bars on your windows."

Harry gaped. "How do you--?"

Snape jerked his head dismissively. "One of your classmates wrote to me, concerned, but informing me that you were staying then at Mr Weasley's house."

"And so you decided it was your problem to mention it to the Dursleys?" Harry inexplicably found himself shaking slightly with anger.

Snape frowned. "As your head of house, your well-being is a concern of mine."

"Then you should have thought about it before sending the owl!" Harry glared at Snape. "Did your concern reach as far as next summer, when they'll decide what to do about being told off by a wizard? They hate wizards, maybe you've figured that out. They hate that I'm one." Snape's eyes flashed. "They were upset with me for the Hogwarts letters for weeks--"

"Potter--"

"Did it ever occur to you, sir, that there was a reason that I don't talk about them, that I didn't write to you about the bars on my window, that--"

"Harry Potter." Harry looked up to see Snape looking at him seriously, something tightening in the black eyes. "Please, do not ask me any questions about this. But suffice it to say that Petunia Eva--Dursley knows who I am, and will not be so brave as to ignore what I wrote in the letter and mistreat you. I would hazard a guess that she will instruct her husband to behave the same."

Harry gaped at him. Aunt Petunia knew Snape? Snape had gone to school with his mother, but Harry didn't think that he would have ever met her muggle sister.

"Again, please no questions," Snape said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just trust that I know how to handle the situation, and that I understand your concerns and reasons for silence." Harry looked at him doubtfully and Snape stared back, offering no further explanations.

Harry eventually nodded, and after a few minutes, went back to work on the cauldrons, not feeling much better, but now having questions to wrestle with as he worked.

A while later, Harry sat up and stretched. Despite how annoying the cleaning was, Harry was glad he didn't have to spend time with Lockhart. Despite his and Snape's rocky relationship, at least Snape didn't pester him constantly.

And then Harry heard something, the sound sending a cold chill up his spine.

_Come...Come to me...Let me rip you...let me tear you...let me kill you_

Harry jumped, his elbow smacking into the closest cauldron and nearly knocking it from the table. Snape's head snapped up from the book he'd been reading.

Harry righted the cauldron, rubbing his elbow. "What was that voice?" he muttered.

Snape's eyes narrowed. "What voice?"

"That--that voice, it said--" Snape was looking at Harry oddly. "You didn't hear it?"

Snape jerked his head side to side. He hadn't. "What was it that you heard?"

Harry shook his head, realizing he probably sounded insane. "Just some hissing noise. Sounded like a voice. I think I might just be tired...imagining things..."

Snape was still staring at him. "Your detention is just about at its end anyways, Potter. Head back to Slytherin, without knocking over anymore cauldrons."

 

Harry ran straight back to Slytherin, finding the common room nearly empty, save for some sixth-years, huddled over charms notes, Ginny Weasley, scribbling in a book, and Blaise and Theo, who were bent over Astronomy homework. They looked up as Harry came to them.

"What happened?" Blaise asked immediately when he saw the look on Harry's face. Harry explained about the voice.

"Snape didn't hear it?" Theo asked. "Do you think he could've been lying?"

"Snape's not the type to joke around, or keep stuff from people like that," Blaise said.

"I swear I heard it," Harry said, pulling out his Astronomy essay as well.

"We believe you," Blaise told him. Theo nodded.

"Tell Hermione tomorrow," Theo suggested. Harry frowned. "I'm serious. She knows loads of stuff. If there's anything weird in the castle that only certain people can hear, she would know."

Harry sighed. "Fine." Then he paused. "Erm, did you write to Snape over the summer, while we were staying with the Weasley's?"

Theo blinked. "Yeah, I did. I heard Ron talking with Fred about the Dursleys. I figured you wouldn't have said anything."

"I didn't want anyone to say anything," Harry muttered.

"Say anything about what?" Blaise asked. Theo looked from him to Harry mutely.

"Forget it," Harry said. He packed up his homework again. "I'll see you guys at breakfast."

He stormed up to to the dormitory, hoping he really would be feeling better by the morning. Draco was sitting on his bed, reading, but looked up as Harry entered. "Rough day, Potter? What's got your wand in a knot?"

"Piss off, Malfoy." Harry drew the curtains around his bed and tried to fall asleep.


	4. The Scene of the Crime

Despite Theo's confidence, Hermione didn't know what Harry could have been hearing. She and Ron were just as confused by it as Harry and the others had been.

October arrived, bringing it's usual beginnings of cold with it, and yet Flint gave them no mercy with his Quidditch training regimen. Although it annoyed Harry that Malfoy was on the team, he had to admit that his rival was a fair flyer, and that he was excited by the possibility of Slytherin winning the Quidditch cup that year.

Harry returned to the castle one afternoon drenched in mud and nearly ran straight through a ghost. Glad that he had halted at the last second--walking through them was like being drenched in ice water--Harry looked up to see that it was Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. He'd never spoken too much with the ghost--nor with any of the others--although he was curious about the name.

"Oh, hello Harry Potter," said Nick.

"You looked bothered," Harry said conversationally.

"Ah...it's nothing..." Nick sighed dramatically. "Well, you would think that even as nearly-headless as I am--  
" He yanked his head to the side and Harry saw that it was attached to his neck by what seemed to be barely an inch of skin, "--Not enough to join the Headless Hunt, apparently," Nick said miserably.

"Well, that's a shame," Harry said lamely, wondering if he should ask what the Headless Hunt even was. He looked down as he heard a meow from somewhere by his feet, and saw Mrs Norris. "Oh great," he muttered. He knew Filch would find some excuse to get him into trouble if he could. Nick seemed to feel the same.

"You'd better clear out, Potter. Filch already tried to give young Ron Weasley a detention for something about an hour ago--I only got him out of it by persuading Peeves to break something, and I don't think I could convince him again--"

"Right," said Harry. "Good luck with the er, Headless Hunt."

Nick nodded, waving goodbye.

 

He met up with Ron and Hermione the next day in their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, and immediately asked Ron about his escape from Filch. 

"Well, Nick did help," Ron said. He smirked. "But really, I think it was something else." At Harry's look, he shrugged. "Fred and George told me once to go through his desk if I ever by any chance got left alone in there, so while he was trying to sort out Peeves, I went snooping and...well, turns out Filch is a squib."

"A what?"

"A sort of reverse Hermione," Ron said. Hermione nodded. "Born of a magic family, but no magic."

"Oh." Harry nodded thoughtfully.

"He was embarrassed so he let me go."

Hermione sighed. "Tell him, Ron."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I sort of told Nick I'd go to a death day party on Halloween, to repay him for helping me out. He said I could bring friends."

"I already said I would go," Hermione said. "You or Theo could come too."

Harry nodded, interested. "What's a death day party?"

 

Instead of heading to the feast on Halloween, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in the dungeons, where they found their way into a hall filled with ghosts. Harry was surprised to see many that couldn't have been from the school, including the infamous Headless Hunt.

After saying hello to Nick and meeting the ghost of a student who Hermione introduced as Moaning Myrtle ("She haunts one of the girl's bathrooms"), they slowly made their way out of the cold, hoping to catch the end of the feast. Or at least desert. But when they nearly reached the entrance hall, Harry stopped dead, hearing for the second time, the strange voice.

_Rip...tear...kill_

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he listened, the others turning to him in concern.

"Harry?"

"Shh, it's the voice again--"

_so hungry... for so long..._

"Can't you hear it?!"

It sounded like the voice might be moving and so he sprinted up through the castle, Ron and Hermione on his heels, to the second floor. The voice grew louder. Then, all of the sudden, it stopped.

Harry stood still in the passage, looking around fearfully.

"Harry, I couldn't hear a thing," Ron said finally.

Hermione gasped, pointing to the wall ahead. It shone with what suspiciously looked like blood.

_THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED_   
_ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE_

"What is that--under it?" Ron's voice shook.

Harry almost slipped on the puddle of water that stretched from the nearby bathroom door to the wall before them as he moved closer. Then he recognized--Mrs Norris was hanging by her tail from the torch.

"We need to leave," Ron said suddenly.

"But we should help--"

"Harry, now. We don't want to be found here."

They turned to leave but were met by the thundering of footsteps. The feast had obviously just let out. Hundreds of students were coming through the hall, on their way to various locations in the castle. They all stopped at the sight, looking from the words, to the cat, to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Enemies of the heir, beware? You'll be next, mudbloods!" Harry recognized Malfoy's voice and turned, ready to shout something back. But Filch had finally appeared, suddenly rushing to his cat and sobbing before turning to Ron, Hermione, and Harry, murder in his eyes.

"You've murdered my cat! I'll kill you!"

Dumbledore arrived, flanked closely by McGonagall and Snape, Lockhart bringing up the rear.

"Everyone please head to your dormitories," Dumbledore announced, once he'd scanned the scene. "Except you three." He pointed to Harry Ron and Hermione.

The three of them exchanged uneasy looks as Dumbledore carefully got Mrs Norris down.

"My office is closest, headmaster," Lockhart offered.

The group made its way up to the third floor and laid Mrs Norris on Lockhart's desk. Dumbledore probed her for a while before turning to Filch.

"She's been petrified, Argus."

"I thought so!" Lockhart cried. Harry saw McGonagall struggle not to roll her eyes and Snape lose the battle.

"But how I cannot say," Dumbledore continued.

"Ask them!" Filch said, pointing to Harry and the others.

"It wasn't us!" Hermione said quietly. Dumbledore nodded.

"This is magic beyond the second year."

"No," Filch said darkly. He pointed to Ron. "He knows I'm a squib. Probably wanted a good laugh. We all know Potter defeated the Dark Lord, who's to say he doesn't know enough dark magic to--"

"Argus--" McGonagall said, looking furiously at Filch, tight-lipped as Snape uttered, "Enough," quietly. 

"We never touched Mrs Norris," Harry said loudly.

"Headmaster," said Snape, stepping forward. "Weasley and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time." He frowned. "Although I don't recall seeing them at dinner."

The three of them quickly launched into stories about the death day party.

"But why not join the feast afterward?" McGonagall asked. She didn't sound accusing, merely curious. 

"We...we were tired and wanted to get to bed," Harry said. Lying seemed preferable to the truth.

"Your bed is three floors below where you were, Potter," Snape said, tilting his head. "I also wasn't aware that ghosts provided food for living guests at their parties." A sneer was twisting at Snape's lip and Harry thought he spoke in humor, but didn't dare laugh.

"We weren't hungry," Ron said, trying to drown out the sound of his stomach.

Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. "Innocent until proven guilty, Argus," he said firmly. "You three may go. Minerva, Severus, please escort your students to their houses."

Snape and McGonagall shared glances, as did Harry, Ron, and Hermione, knowing they would be in for more questions. Once they reached the grand staircase, Harry glumly waved to Hermione and Ron, and then walked with Snape down to the dungeons. Once there, Snape spoke without looking at Harry.

"You are aware that no one in that room, except perhaps Lockhart, believed your story."

Harry tried not to snort. Lockhart probably had taken them extremely seriously. "We really did go to the ghost party, sir."

"But still skipped dinner and went to the second floor without any good reason." Snape sighed. "You will need a better story to tell your classmates, especially those in other houses who are likely to blame a Slytherin for an attack."

"I don't care what anyone else thinks," Harry said, although mentally he was already trying to figure out what he would say. What had Malfoy told the house already?

"I don't suppose it has anything to do with whatever occurred at the end of your detention with me?"

Harry frowned, finally looking to Snape, who met his eye. The entirety of the previous year, Harry and his friends had decided not to trust Snape, and yet Snape had been trying to save Harry's life--twice--and protect the school. He bit his lip. "It might."

"Then it might be for the best that you didn't say anything in that office," said Snape softly. "Hearing voices isn't the best sign."

Harry nodded glumly. "Hermione tried to find out if there's anything in the castle that can only be heard by certain people, but she didn't find anything. Maybe I'm going mad."

"Maybe." Harry swore he could see the ghost of a smile twitching Snape's lips. "Or we simply need to wait for more information."

Harry noticed that they'd finally reached Slytherin. "Sir, about that detention..."

Snape looked at him, frowning.

"I'm not actually worried about... The Dursely's probably won't even mention it to me by the time summer comes that you wrote to them," Harry said. "I just didn't--"

"You were uncomfortable with me knowing of your situation with your family," Snape said quietly. 

Harry nodded, unable to read Snape's expression. He thought about how good it would feel to have a family this year, to write to about the voice, and now the attack. He had his friends to confide in, but no one who could give him solid advice or comfort, outside of the professional kind that someone like McGonagall or Dumbledore might be able to offer. It was silent between him and Snape for a few more moments.

"Rest assured, I was also uncomfortable to learn of your situation," said Snape finally. Harry didn't have a clue how to take the admission. "Get on to your dormitory, Potter." He turned to leave.

Harry sighed. "Goodnight, Professor." 

Snape froze for a moment. Then, without turning, "...Goodnight, Potter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always found it interesting that in canon, some people figured Harry might have to be another Dark Wizard to have taken out Voldemort. Given his (in this) Slytherin status and being found at the scene of the crime, I imagined he might start hearing of that more.


	5. Shared Suspicions

Blaise and Theo were concerned about the voice and the writing on the wall just as much as Harry when he told them what had happened. All three of them couldn't think of a reason why Filch's cat would be a target, save for revenge against Filch. But seeing as most of the school disliked the caretaker, it didn't really narrow it down.

It seemed Malfoy was elated about the message, and hadn't made it seem in his stories that Harry was the attacker. But the rumors from other houses still spread. Harry found people looking at him suspiciously in the halls. Justin, the Hufflepuff boy who Harry and his friends sat near in Herbology, flat out ran away when he saw Harry in the hall. Flint, however, found this sort of behavior funny. He caught Harry in the Slytherin common room and suggested Harry do his best to encourage the rumors.

"If people are too scared to be near you, maybe the other teams' seekers will let you have the snitch."

Harry would have found it funny if he wasn't so worried about it all.

Malfoy tended to talk loudly around Harry and his friends about the prospect of Muggleborns like Hermione being attacked. Harry and Theo raised their eyebrows at each other, wondering how Malfoy would know.

To top it all off, Ginny Weasely seemed incredibly upset by the attack. Harry at first feared that she would think Hogwarts was dangerous and frightening, but he heard from Ron that Ginny was a great cat-lover. 

To their credit, the teachers the morning after the attack seemed to be trying to restore normalcy. 

Harry and his friends all met in the library one night to study, and Hermione returned to their table scowling after coming up empty-handed while searching for _Hogwarts, A History_. Theo and Harry looked at her curiously.

"I wish I could've brought my copy. All the ones here have been checked out."

"How come?" Harry asked, looking up from his potions essay.

"She wants to read about the Chamber of Secrets, like any good curious student here," said Blaise. "I did too. Which is why you all are lucky I looked through a copy before the entire school checked them all out."

Hermione gaped at him.

"Did you find anything?" asked Ron.

Blaise shook his head. "Only a short mention. It said it's a legend, but nothing more than that, really."

The bell rang and the five of them headed to History of Magic. Hermione seemed determined to learn more about the Chamber and, after much persuasion, Professor Binns finally told them the story. A secret chamber, created by Slytherin, which housed a monster--a monster to be released to purge Hogwarts of those deemed "unworthy." Hermione felt that this meant "Muggle-borns". But Harry wondered if there was really any reason to the beast. If the Chamber and the monster were real, why had Mrs Norris been the first attack?

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," said Ron as they exited the classroom. "But he started all this stupid pure-blood stuff? Honestly if the hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd have gone straight home."

"Be glad that you have that option," Harry muttered. "The hat was torn whether or not to put me into Gryffindor, but no, I got stuck in the House of Racists."

Ron looked away. "Sorry, Harry," he sighed, "you too, Blaise, Theo. I didn't mean anything by it--"

"I know," Harry said tiredly. "I just wanted some choice in the matter. It's hard being one of the few not stupid Slytherins."

Theo snorted. And then shrugged. "I was only offered Slytherin by the hat. Most of my family was in Slytherin. I didn't think much of it."

"The hat said it couldn't see me anywhere else," said Blaise. "I think I would've done alright in Ravenclaw. But I dunno. I don't think Slytherin's a bad house. Just had a bad reputation."

"Supposed we'll just have to work to change that," Harry mused. "Though Malfoy definitely isn't making that easy."

"And there's the face that you're Slytherin's heir," Theo joked. Hermione tutted at him.

"People will believe anything," Ron said in disgust. "I've been hearing that stupid rumor alot in Gryffindor." He looked at them seriously. "Who do you think it is, real Chamber or otherwise?"

"Exactly what we've been asking," came a voice from behind them. The twins appeared. One of them held out a piece of parchment for the group to see, and they all halted in the hall to look. Harry read:

_Harry Potter_  
_Draco Malfoy_  
_Your Mum_  
_Snape_

"What's this?" Harry laughed awkwardly.

"You can bet Dumbledore will catch whoever's responsible," said Fred.

"And what's wrong with making a game out of trying to figure out the culprit," George continued. "Lift everyone's spirits, you know." He held out the parchment and quill to Harry. "So far, everyone's figured it's gotta be a Slytherin. 'Slytherin's heir', you know. I wrote down your name, Potter." George winked. "As the guilty party, what do you think?"

"Who wrote the others?" asked Ron.

"Lee Jordan said 'your mum', Wood bet on Snape--but he's biased, hates the man. And I said Draco Malfoy," Fred answered.

"You're biased as well," Theo pointed out. He pulled out a galleon. "For Malfoy."

Fred grinned as he wrote down a tally mark and the amount.

"Alright, a galleon," Harry said and fished one out, "but for Vol--I mean, You-Know-Who."

George and Fred shared grins. "Good one, Potter."

Harry shrugged. "It was him last year. As long as I don't have to fight him again this year." Or Snape, he added mentally.

"I still think it's Malfoy," said Ron. He fished out a handful of sickles and Fred marked him down.

"Ginny Weasley," said Blaise. Harry stared. "It's a laugh, isn't it? There's no way she'd ever attack a cat." Ron nodded.

"Hermione?" asked George.

She shook her head. "Just make sure McGonagall or Percy doesn't get wind of this. They'd be furious," she said.

The twins nodded and headed off.

 

By the next day, many people across each of the houses had heard of Fred and George's poll. Harry heard from Blaise that Harry so far had the most of the wagers, closely followed by Malfoy and Voldemort. 

Fred caught him in the hall to whisper to him that a couple members of the staff had pulled the twins aside after class to scold them before placing wagers on Snape and Lockhart.

"Lockhart's too stupid to attack anything, Fred said, laughing.

"He didn't even know Mrs Norris was petrified until after Dumbledore announced it," Harry agreed. "Even if he says differently."

"Snape though, he's the type. Surprised he hasn't got more votes than you, Potter. He's scarier than you."

"Snape's not evil though," said Harry without thinking. Fred gave a triumphant laugh. "I'm not either!" But he couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Who knows, maybe under his greasy hair he's got Voldemort hiding back there."

 

Ron and Hermione met up with Harry with a plan of their own.

"Maybe it's Malfoy now" said Ron. "His whole family have been in Slytherin for centuries."

"Have they?" Harry asked, overwhelmed at how far back wizarding families reached. Ron nodded. "So you think that the Malfoy's have just passed down how to control some horrible monster?" Ron nodded again.

Hermione sighed. "The point is, Harry, we discussed it, and we figure it might be worth it to ask Malfoy some questions. Since he hates muggleborns so much, even if he's not the heir, he might know something."

"How do you expect Malfoy to spill any secrets? I bet he wouldn't even tell Theo anything, and their fathers were friends."

"We're gonna turn into Slytherins," said Ron. "We figured Parkinson and Crabbe. And you could turn into Goyle if you wanted to join us."

"Turn into?"

"Polyjuice potion," Hermione said. "Snape talked about it a bit ago. It lets you turn into someone else for a short time."

"Better Millicent Bulstrode then," Harry offered. "If Parkinson knew, she would've told most of the house by now."

Hermione shrugged. "Okay then. But the problem is, the book that tells us how to do it is in the restricted section."

"So it's gonna be dangerous," said Harry. "And hard?"

"Harry could ask Snape for a note to get the book," Ron suggested hopefully. Harry snorted.

"If it's hard to make, I bet we're gonna have to steal from Snape's storeroom. He'd definitely notice what he's missing and put two and two together if he knew we took out the book." Harry shook his head. "We need someone who we can convince and won't ask any questions."

"If we could just make it seem like we were interested in the theory, we might have a chance," said Hermione slowly.

"They'd have to be really stupid," Ron said, shaking his head.

 

The next day, Lockhart signed their permission form and the three of them read up on how to make a Polyjuice Potion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays, everyone (sorry for the short chapter!).
> 
> I was hoping to get to posting the Polyjuice Potion chapter on Christmas, since it takes place over the holidays at Hogwarts, but unfortunately it didn't quite work out. Im looking forward to posting the chapters with Malfoy and seeing if they are well received. As i said, I'm keeping him in-character, but as the things around him change...


	6. Revelations

"Let us know what we can do to help," Blaise offered, when Harry told him and Theo about the Polyjuice potion.

"We're going to have to find a way to keep the real Crabbe, Goyle, and Millicent out of the way," Harry said thoughtfully. But Hermione had said the potion would take a month to brew, so they had time to find a solution.

"A month?" asked Theo, once Harry had voiced this out loud. "You'll be doing that over Christmas, then. What if they all go home?"

"Then we'd had to wait even longer." Harry sighed, frustrated. "Hopefully it all works out, and nobody else is attacked."

"You heard him, going on about muggleborns being next," Theo shook his head. "If it's Draco, you can bet there'll be an attack before Christmas."

A small noise behind Harry made him turn. Ginny Weasley was standing behind him, looking upset.

"Ginny are you okay?"

She shook her head and nodded away from Theo and Blaise. Harry got up and followed her out into the dungeon corridor.

"What's wrong?"

Ginny looked on the verge of tears. "Fred and George are doing that stupid bet and someone wrote my name down!"

Harry thought guiltily of Blaise. "Well, someone wrote down my name too."

"You were seen at the sight of the attack, obviously some people would be stupid--" Ginny took a deep breath. "I didn't do anything! It must be because I'm in Slytherin! Everyone hates us--"

"Honestly, Ginny, it's Fred and George, they would never let anyone do anything serious to hurt you. Probably thought it was a laugh. I mean, Ron's always saying how much you love cats, the whole school probably puts you lowest on their list of suspects."

Ginny laughed hollowly. "You think so?"

"Yeah," said Harry. He studied her closely. She looked overtired. "Did the attack bother you that much?"

Ginny shrugged. "I think so. I've just been so tired lately. Feeling very out of it."

"You should head up to Madam Pomfrey if it gets worse. Every year some flu gets around."

Ginny nodded. "Thanks Harry."

He watched her re-enter the common room, hoping he wouldn't have to worry about her as well.

 

Harry awoke early on a Saturday morning to think about the Quidditch match that afternoon. Harry wanted to beat Gryffindor badly, and hoped that all their long hours of practice had paid off. Certainly, they would be flying faster than their rivals, thanks to Malfoy. And speaking of Malfoy...

When Harry reached the Great Hall to eat an early breakfast, he found Malfoy already seated at the Slytherin table, staring nervously at a plate of toast. Harry sat down with his own plate, a little ways from Malfoy, his stomach churning with nerves, and tried to decide if he should eat.

"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy asked, looking up with a quivering sneer.

Harry felt a smirk break out across his face. "You wish." He took a bite of his toast, a few minutes later noticing Malfoy finally doing the same.

The rest of the team entered later, looking uptight and nervous.

At 11 o'clock, they all headed to the Quidditch Stadium with the school. Ron and Hermione stood outside the door, wishing Harry good luck before heading off to sit with their house.

They all walked out onto the field and Harry gave a cheery wave to Fred and George, who grinned back. The Gryffindor team looked as determined as Harry felt.

The game broke out and shortly in, Harry discovered one bludger was determined to kill him. Their beaters were amazed and decided one of them should tail Harry, hoping to keep him safe as a rainstorm broke out. Flint finally called a time out.

"What are you all doing?" He asked, the minute they touched down. "Why do we have a beater being a full-time bodyguard to Potter?"

Harry explained. Flint frowned. "Do you think Gryffindor could've tampered with them?"

"Or it's the same as last year and someone's trying to kill me," Harry muttered. He glanced to the stands, wondering if Snape would help him out if he got into trouble again. "Listen, just let me deal with it.

"Should've accepted the faster broom," Flint muttered.

"I'll be fine," said Harry. "Let's go."

He once again began his race to out-maneuver the bludger, spurting across the field and doing loops around the stands. Ten minutes later, Harry pulled up short to narrowly avoided hitting Malfoy as they both weren't looking closely enough where they were going.

"Alright there, Potter?" Malfoy shouted. Harry nodded, surprised. Then he blinked. The snitch was floating near Malfoy's ear.

WHAM

Harry had stayed still for two long and the bludger had broken his arm. Dazed and hissing in pain, he slid on his soaked broom, trying to hold on.

"Potter!"

The bludger was rounding back toward him, so Harry tried his best to get righted on his broom--as fast as he could, he shot toward Malfoy--his only thought was to get to the snitch. Malfoy gasped, diving out of the way and Harry and the bludger narrowly missed him--Harry followed the snitch into a dive, and took his good arm off his broom reluctantly. He wasn't about to nearly swallow the snitch this year. As they neared the ground, Harry managed to grab the snitch and fall off his broom into the mud. Then he fainted.

He opened his eyes to find most of the school standing around him, and Lockhart bent over him.

"Not you," Harry groaned, trying to stand up.

"Harry, don't worry, I'll fix that arm!"

"No!"

He tried to look for Dumbledore, or Snape, or really anyone reasonable with enough authority to stop Lockhart. But Lockhart had already cast his spell. Harry looked down. His arm looked like rubber. Lockhart hadn't fixed his bones. He'd removed them.

 

After a night in the hospital wing without sleep (due to Dobby visiting in the night and admitting to trying to stop Harry from being at Hogwarts on the platform and with the bludger), being disturbed by the discovery that Colin Creevey had been petrified and Dumbledore himself admitting to McGonagall that the Chamber was real and had been opened, Harry was ready to resume regular life at Hogwarts and work on their plan to catch Malfoy. He wondered how his rival would've even had energy to attack Colin after the Quidditch match.

He found Ron and Hermione camped out in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, hard at work on the Polyjuice Potion.

"Oh good, you're better at Potions than Ron, you can take over for him," Hermione said. Ron moved over from the cauldron gratefully. 

Harry tried to tell them about Colin but it seemed most of Gryffindor had overheard McGonagall telling someone else. The news was due to have spread through the school before dinnertime.

"We need to get going and get Malfoy to confess," Ron said determinedly. 

"Oh right, about Malfoy. The Chamber's been opened before." At their looks, he hastily told them about Dobby's visit.

"So fifty years ago, another heir was here to attack people?" Hermione gasped.

"So Lucius Malfoy must've opened it at school and now he's sent Draco to do the dirty work," Ron said darkly. "We should try to find out if anyone else we know was around at that time and ask them what happened.

"Because McGonagall is too strict," Harry mused.

Hermione sighed. "She's not one for gossip, especially with students. We'll have to figure out something."

During Potions the next day, Harry sat at his usual table with Ron, Hermione, and Neville, near Blaise and Theo. For whatever reason, Malfoy and Goyle decided to sit directly behind them. The class was a flutter of chatter about the chamber.

"Finally, there's been a proper attack," Malfoy said loudly. "Only a matter of time before the rest of the mudblood's are picked--"

Harry and Ron both shot to their feet. Ron had his wand out in an instant and Harry had gripped Malfoy by the front of his robes, trying to decide whether to hex him or punch him--

"Mr. Malfoy!"

Harry turned to see that Snape was in the room, white-faced and eyes flashing. The class instantly fell silent. Harry let go of Malfoy who shrank back slightly.

"Do not ever let me hear you using that word again," Snape said, voice dangerously low. "Thirty points from Slytherin." Pansy gasped. Snape looked at them all. "That goes for anyone else who decides to use such language." He looked to Harry and Ron. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, see me after class."

Harry and Ron sat down heavily, knowing there would be no point in arguing. By the end of class, during which Malfoy was uncharacteristically silent, they had decided that it would be a miracle if they were both let off with detention.

When they'd all finished, Malfoy took his time packing up, until the four of them, Snape, Harry, Ron, and Malfoy, were the last one in the classroom.

"Mr. Malfoy, don't you have somewhere to be?"

Malfoy looked up. "My father told me stories about you, Professor," Malfoy sneered. "You don't seem to match up to them. I wonder what he would think of you now."

"What does dear Lucius tell you it was like, Malfoy?" Snape hissed. "That people were spared because of their blood status? That _we_ were spared, somehow? Do you think certain people were not tortured, despite their actions? Do you think that some families were not targeted, just because they were old magic? I hate to break it to you, but opinions like those your father still holds are dangerous. Do not make the same mistakes."

Malfoy frowned.

"No," Snape continued. "No, I am nothing like your father would have told you. Now, get out."

Malfoy looked quickly, looking bothered.

Snape rounded on Harry and Ron and thoughts of Malfoy's words were instantly banished from Harry's mind. 

"Despite what any other student says about another, fighting his not permitted."

Ron opened his mouth to protest and then shut it quickly. Harry looked away.

"Five points from Gryffindor and Slytherin."

Harry nodded, resigned. At least next to Malfoy's thirty, Harry's five wouldn't look so bad.

"Were you friends with Lucius Malfoy in school?" Ron asked quietly, surprising Harry. Snape's mouth thinned.

"Something like that."

"Snape's not sixty years old!" Harry realized. If Lucius Malfoy had been at school while Snape was, Lucius couldn't have opened the Chamber fifty years ago. Which meant Malfoy was suddenly a less definite suspect.

"I would hope I do not look twice my age, Potter."

Harry swallowed. "We just thought--we knew Malfoy's father is pretty... anti-muggleborn, and we thought he might've been the one to open the Chamber fifty years ago..."

Snape blinked. "He did not." He looked at them seriously. The Malfoy family tree is easily traced, and has no Slytherin in its roots. None of them could be Slytherin's heir."

Harry blinked in surprise, shooting a look at Ron, who was frowning in thought. If Malfoy wasn't the heir, could he know anything about the attacks? Was it a waste for them to start brewing the Polyjuice Potion?

"I will advise you now, you and your friends, to not investigate as you did last year," Snape said mildly. "As you may have surmised, the Chamber being open presents a certain danger. Monster or not."

"More dangerous than Voldemort?" Harry asked. Snape twitched.

"Can't be," Ron said, though he had flinched at the name. "Besides, we're both from magic families--"

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. "Need I remind you both that Ms. Granger is not."

Harry swallowed.

"And there should be no scale of danger when it comes to risks outside of what is expected here at Hogwarts," Snape continued lowly. "As students, your safety is paramount. The last time the Chamber was opened, a student died."

Ron gasped and Harry flinched, thinking of Hermione and the other muggleborns he knew.

"If that's a possibility, why isn't Dumbledore doing more?" Ron asked.

Harry thought of muggle schools that closed when they were threatened. He was just glad Hogwarts wasn't the same. Monster or not, he'd rather be at school than with the Dursley's.

"Professor Dumbledore wishes to keep you all in the castle and learning. If something of that nature happened again, I would wager that the Ministry would wish for Hogwarts to close." Snape met eyes with Harry. "I'm sure for many of you, the school remaining open even with such danger is preferable to being sent to your families."

Ron grimaced and Harry looked away from Snape. 

"Now, both of you, get going. And no more meddling."


	7. Snake Speaker

"So, it _can't_ be Draco," Harry finished telling Theo and Blaise. He looked up to see Ron gesturing wildly at the Gryffindor table and hoped that Ron would convince Hermione that they should wait before stealing from Snape.

Blaise frowned. "That doesn't mean that he doesn't know something."

Harry nodded. "I'd like to know what kind of monster it is. If only a Slytherin heir can control it, it's probably really rare."

"And really old," said Theo. "And dangerous." He bit his lip. "Tell you what, I'll write home to ask Dad about it all."

"You think he'll know anything?" Harry asked, surprised.

Theo shrugged. "He's as Slytherin as they come."

"Sorry."

After a few minutes, Blaise spoke up. "Harry, that voice you keep hearing. You realize it's always been before an attack?"

Harry thought back. He had heard the whisper in the hospital wing while his bones had been regrowing... and on Halloween, when Mrs Norris had been attacked, but...

"The night I heard it in Snape's detention... there wasn't an attack that night." He stared at Blaise. "Do you think I have something to do with all this?"

"Of course not," Blaise scoffed. "But it's important to try to figure out what's relevant."

"Relevant to what?" Jessica said, coming to sit opposite them with Pansy Parkinson. "

"Nothing," Theo said quickly. "Why do you look so excited?"

 

"The dueling club?" Ron pulled out his books in Defence Against the Dark Arts. "Yeah, Hermione and I signed up. Are you gonna go?"

Harry nodded. "I thought it might be fun. Blaise reckons it'll be useful in case we find out who Slytherin's heir is."

Hermione rushed into the classroom to sit with them, looking slightly out of breath.

"You're nearly late," Ron observed. "Where were you?"

"Checking on the Polyjuice Potion."

Ron and Harry exchanged looks. "Hermione, we know it can't be Malfoy--"

"But he still might know something, we agreed," she said impatiently. "I never thought you two would want to stop looking for answers. Or catch Malfoy involved with all this."

"It would be easier to think about if Snape wasn't waiting for us to make it obvious that we're still poking around," Harry muttered.

"We just need a diversion in class so I can get into his storeroom--"

Harry sighed. "Okay, Hermione. Maybe. Let's just wait and see how things go."

 

A week later, Harry Blaise and Theo met with Ron Hermione and Neville in the Great Hall for the dueling club. The long house tables had been removed, replaced with a stage against one wall. Most of the school was packed around it, and Harry and the others edged through as best they could to get near the front.

"I heard Flitwick might be hosting this," Hermione said. "He used to be a dueling champion."

"What if it's Snape and McGonagall?" Theo said excitedly. "They're both brilliant, and it would fuel the House rivalry--"

"What house rivalry? We're in the lead for the Quidditch and House cups," Harry laughed. And then groaned as Lockhart walked out onto the stage. Followed by, to everyone's surprise, Snape.

Lockhart introduced Snape excitedly. Snape didn't look excited.

"What if they finish each other off?" Ron whispered. Neville laughed nervously.

Snape was watching Lockhart with a dangerous expression on his face as they turned to each other and bowed.

"None of us will be aiming to kill, of course," Lockhart said.

"Snape looks like he might be," Theo muttered.

"I never thought I'd see the day when someone wasn't nervous around Snape because they're too clueless," Harry whispered back.

On the count of three, Snape had cried "Expelliarmus!", clearly faster than Lockhart. Lockhart was blasted off his feet and onto the floor. The Slytherins cheered and several people laughed as Lockhart stood, hair standing up.

"That was the Disarming Charm!" Lockhart announced importantly, clearly trying to take it all in stride. He collected his wand from a student before glancing at Snape nervously and announcing they all pair up to practice it.

Neville and Hermione were partnered up by Lockhart, but Snape reached Harry first. He seemed to grab Malfoy out of thin air to pair the two together. Harry and Malfoy glared at each other.

On the count of three, Harry disarmed Malfoy on his first try, watching as his rival want sailed through the air. To Harry's immense disappointment, however, Malfoy wasn't knocked off his feet. Harry assumed he needed more power behind the charm.

"Ten points to Slytherin," Snape muttered, before rushing to break up a fistfight between Millicent and Pavarti Patil. Harry felt a grin tug on the edge of his mouth and passed Malfoy back his wand.

Lockhart shouted for them all to stop. "I'll have to teach you how to _block_ unfriendly spells! Let's have two volunteers." He ignored every raised hand. "Harry! Come on up. You too, Mr Weasley!"

Harry sighed, awkwardly climbing onto the stage, heart sinking as Snape spoke.

"Weasley's wand isn't in any condition to hold up in even a practice duel. It wouldn't be wise to risk him doing another student harm." Ron shrugged at Harry. Snape jerked his head to Malfoy. "Potter just disarmed Malfoy. Why don't we give Malfoy the chance to redeem himself?"

"An excellent idea, Professor Snape!" cried Lockhart. Malfoy climbed onto the stage, scowling as Snape stepped off to the side. "Would you like any advice, Potter?" Lockhart said quietly.

"I thought you were teaching us to block spells?" Harry asked, confused. Malfoy was staring at them.

"Well, it's better to learn by doing!" Lockhart stepped away and Harry and Malfoy moved forward so they could bow to each other.

"Scared, Potter?" Malfoy muttered.

"You wish," Harry said.

"Three--two--one--!"

Malfoy raised his wand, shouting, "Serpensortia!" and a large black snake shot out of the end of Malfoy's wand, raising its head to strike in anger. Several people screamed.

"Don't move," Snape said lazily. "I'll get rid of it."

"I will!" shouted Lockhart. He waved his wand and the snake flew toward the enchanted ceiling before smacking back to the floor. It didn't seem hurt, but was angrier than before. It slid straight for Justin Finch-Fletchy.

Harry stepped forward, horrified, hand outstretched, and shouted, "Leave him alone!" The snake hesitated for a moment before slumping to the floor, staring at Harry. Harry turned to Justin, smiling, but Justin turned and ran.

Snape stepped forward, flicking his wand to vanish the snake. Harry looked at him and swallowed heavily; Snape's expression was shrewd and calculating, an uneasiness hiding behind the black eyes. Harry was suddenly aware the whispers surrounded him.

"Harry--" Theo pulled him away. Harry followed Theo and Blaise through the crowd, looking at Ron and Neville, who stared back, wide-eyed.

Harry didn't have a clue what was going on. He followed his friends to the dungeons, eventually sitting heavily on an armchair by the fire, looking for Theo to Blaise, confused.

"You're a parselmouth?" Theo asked, shock heavy in his voice.

"What?"

"A Parselmouth--you can talk to snakes," Blaise explained.

"Oh." At their looks-- "I once set a boa constrictor on my cousin at the zoo once--"

"Set it on him?" Theo asked, looking horrified.

"--Well, not on purpose. I just wanted to free it. It said it had never seen Brazil!"

Blaise shook his head. "Harry this isn't good.

"What's bad?" Harry stared at them. "All I did was tell it not to attack Justin--"

"Oh, that's what you said?"

"You heard me--you were right there--"

"Harry," Theo said weakly, "you were hissing, speaking like a snake. It was creepy."

"But--" Harry gaped at them. "How can I speak a language without realizing it?"

"Harry, Parseltongue isn't a common thing," Blaise said quietly. "Salazar Slytherin was famous for it. That's why our house symbol is a snake."

Harry blinked and Blaise continued.

"This is gonna convince everyone even more that you're behind all these attacks."

Harry didn't get much sleep that night.

He found, in class the next day, people were ignoring him. He did his best to ignore them back and headed straight for Ron and Hermione during the break. He was tired of the whispers. He wanted to prove he wasn't evil.

"I promise you I'm not dangerous," Harry said.

"Of course not." Hermione shook her head. Ron shrugged.

"You looked too confused last night to have known what was going on."

Harry felt relived. The previous year, Ron had ignored him for a week after Harry'd been sorted into Slytherin.

"The wizarding world had doubts that you might be a dark wizard after you stoped You-Know-Who," Ron said. "They would've had a field day if you'd been a relation of Slytherin's. We would've known. People are just too stupid to see past their own skulls."

"Good." Harry looked at them. "Let's steal from Snape. We need to find any clue, even if Malfoy knows next to nothing."

Snape, to his credit, seemed to be ignoring Harry in the week that followed the dueling club incident. The class after, he handed Harry's essay back to Ron and swept away.

That next week, Harry figured this would be useful and decided he would cause the diversion. He waited until Snape's back was turned before lighting a small firecracker (from Fred and George) and tossing it into Goyle's cauldron three tables over. The cauldron exploded, drenching most of the class in swelling solution. Snape shouted for quiet in the chaos, taking stock of the class and making sure everyone was alright before handing out antidotes. Harry spotted Hermione sneaking back into the room, giving Harry a thumbs up as she took her seat. 

Snape fished the firecracker out of the destroyed cauldron and the class went silent as fury crossed his face.

"Whoever did this is very lucky we weren't dealing with anything more dangerous and that no one was hurt." Snape's voice was low. He met Harry's eyes. "If I ever find out who did this, they will be expelled."

Harry tried to arrange his face into what he thought was a confused expression. But he knew most of the school was of the opinion that Snape could read minds, and he felt no matter what he did, it was useless.

"He knew it was me," Harry told his friends back in the Slytherin common room after they'd had an early dinner. Malfoy and his friends had gone up to the dormitory to study.

"He can't prove anything," Theo said firmly.

"Nevermind that," Blaise said, "what about the Polyjuice Potion?"

"Hermione said it'll be finished in two weeks. Most of the hard stuff is done now--"

"Hey, Potter!"

Harry turned as Gemma Farley hurried over to them.

"I was putting money on the Weasley twins' bet about the Slytherin heir, and one of the Hufflepuff perfects came over. He put three galleons on your name, Potter."

Harry gaped at her. "Is he serious?"

Gemma nodded. "Unfortunately. He told me I need to warn you off--apparently Finch-Fletchy's been hiding in the Hufflepuff common room whenever he can to ignore you."

Harry clenched his fists. "I spoke to one snake and suddenly I must be some evil wizard." He stood. "I'm going to look for him."

"To kill him, I presume," Farley said. She stopped laughing at Harry's face. "Dinner's just about over, maybe he went late while you weren't there."

"If not he might be in the library," Blaise suggested. "I've seen the Hufflepuff's in our year having study sessions after dinner most nights."

"Thanks." Harry turned to Farley. "Who did you put your money on?"

"You-Know-Who." She grinned. "Almost put it on Snape as a laugh. Oh--speaking of Snape-- I heard that McGonagall caught the twins with that list in the Great Hall. After she lectured them about not taking things seriously, rumor has it she put the minimum bet on Snape."

"She's a teacher!" Blaise said. "Shouldn't she take her own advice to keep serious about all this?"

"I think she agrees with the twins more than she lets on," said Farley. "We all need to lighten up..."

"At least, until there's another attack," Theo said darkly.

 

Harry bumped into Hermione in the entrance hall.

"Oh, Harry." She looked at him. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, just looking for Finch-Fletchy. Was he at dinner?"

Hermione frowned. "I didn't look for him, so I don't know--"

_I smell blood..._

Harry froze.

"Hermione," he hissed, listening. "The voice again--"

She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Harry, I think I just realized something. I need to get to the library."

Harry blinked at her. "Well, I might see you up there in a minute." He thought of Blaise's idea that the voice might signal an attack. "Be... be careful," he said quietly.

Hermione nodded, digging for something in her bag as she left for the stairs.

Harry entered the Great Hall, squinting to look down the length of the Hufflepuff table twice before deciding Finch-Fletchy wasn't there. He turned back around to head for the library, wondering what he might say. He wanted to set the Hufflepuffs straight, but not sound threatening. He felt like he should apologize, but had he done anything wrong?

Shaking his head, he entered the library, stumbling into a Hufflepuff boy--Ernie Milkman, or something similar, Harry remembered. The boy glared at him.

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

"Looking for Justin."

Ernie's face dropped in shock and fear. "He's hiding up in the common room. Away from you." Ernie glared daggers at Harry. Stay away from us!"

"I didn't set that snake on him! It didn't even touch him!"

"A near miss," Ernie said dismissively. "And by the way, I'm a pure blood, in case you're making a list--"

"I don't care what sort of blood anyone's got!" Harry said hotly. "I'm a half-blood, one of my best friends is muggleborn. Why would I attack muggleborns?"

"I hear you hate those muggles you live with," Ernie shot back, without missing a beat.

Harry felt his face grow hot. "I'd like to see anyone here live with the Dursley's and not hate them." And he turned on his heel, storming out. He bumped briefly into Hagrid but shook off the man's concern, too hot and bothered to have a real conversation. He'd only just realized he hadn't found Hermione when he tripped over something in the corridor and nearly fell on his face. Squinting in the dark (a draft seemed to have blown out one of the torches) Harry gasped when he saw what--or who-- he'd tripped over.

"Hermione," he moaned. "No--no--"

But it was Hermione, laying with a small hand mirror by her side, and--Harry noticed in shock-- Nearly Headless Nick floating weirdly black and smokey above her. He sat on the floor and stared in shock. He didn't think ghosts could be petrified.

A few minutes--or hours--passed before Harry heard footsteps. But he couldn't tear his eyes away from Hermione until he heard, "Potter!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLOT TWIST   
> Is it really a plot twist if Hermione was attacked in canon and I just moved around the timing? 
> 
> I've been trying to plot PoA as I'm finishing up (I say as if there isn't about half the book's plot to work through) this one, because several things in the end of this one kinda put a hole in a few points of the next one.


	8. Moving Forward

Harry stared up at Snape. "I--I--"

Snape bent over Hermione and Harry hung his head, staring at the ground, focusing on a crack in the stone and not Snape or his petrified friend. Something silvery shot out of Snape's wand, but Harry wasn't interested to look at it. 

"Minerva," Snape said softly. "Two corridors away from the library. Come quickly."

The silver light was gone in an instant, but Harry still couldn't bring himself to look up to see Snape's face.

"Potter."

Harry felt himself shaking slightly.

"Potter." Snape smoothly took a knee next to Harry but didn't touch him. "Harry Potter."

Harry glanced at Snape. "It wasn't me," he said shakily.

"However, this is the second time you've been found at the scene of an attack, before any of us had managed to find it." Snape's voice was quiet. "The headmaster will want to hear about it."

"Oh my--" Harry looked up to see McGonagall stop dead in the hall, hand on her chest. "Severus--"

"Minerva, I am taking Mr. Potter to Dumbledore. He was here first. I imagine Dumbledore will want to speak with him." McGonagall nodded, looking to Harry with what seemed like concern before meeting Snape's gaze again. "Would you mind finding a way to get Sir Nicholas and Ms Granger to the hospital wing?"

McGonagall nodded, looking back to Harry as she approached them. "Go on with Professor Snape, Potter."

Harry stood, his legs lead, and followed once Snape began walking.

"Were you headed to the library, Potter?" Snape asked softly.

Harry shook his head numbly. "Away from it. I had an argument--" Harry frowned, thinking of Ernie and Justin.

Snape looked at him piercingly. "Not with Ms Granger, I assume."

"No!" Harry felt himself shake with nerves. "Ernie something-or-other in Hufflepuff. He said... he said Justin Finch-Fletchy's been hiding from me. They think I want to kill muggleborns...."

"They think you are the heir?"

"They all seem to." Harry looked away. "Just because Slytherin spoke to snakes, everyone's afraid of me."

Snape was quiet. "It seems most wizards who spoke Parseltongue were dark wizards."

Harry swallowed. "Someone should tell Ron," he said. "About--about Hermione."

"I would think Minerva is on top of that," Snape said swiftly. He halted as they reached a large, stone gargoyle. "Lemon drop!"

The gargoyle hopped aside and an opening appeared in the wall behind it, revealing a stone staircase, spiraling upwards. They'd clearly reached Dumbledore's office. Once inside, there was no sight of Dumbledore. Harry turned to Snape.

"You will wait here for the headmaster. I am going to find out if Minerva has handled everything." He turned to leave.

"Sir?" Harry swallowed as Snape half-turned to him. Although he wasn't ignoring Harry anymore, there was a tension between him and Harry. "What other wizards could speak Parseltongue? You said there were more that went bad."

Snape frowned, looking at Harry for a long moment of silence. "The Dark Lord," he answered softly.

Harry felt something heavy drop in his chest. The man who'd tried to murder him as a baby, who he'd met last year. He'd watched him torture Snape; no wonder he had avoided Harry since the Parseltongue incident, Harry would've been cautious too, if it'd been him. Snape kept the eye contact for another moment before turning and leaving the office.

Harry turned back to the room, looking at all the strange objects and portraits...finally catching sight of the sorting hat. 

He didn't hesitate, striding forward and jamming the hat on his head. It slipped over his eyes, plunging him into blackness.

"Bee in your bonnet, Harry Potter?"

"Why couldn't you have put me in Gryffindor?" Harry muttered.

"Do you think I placed you in the wrong house?"

Harry hesitated. He was in Slytherin. House of snakes. He spoke to snakes. But it was the house of ambition and cunning, and he still wasn't sure either of those qualities fit him yet. He wanted to be a great wizard, but not at any cost. He did want to protect his friends at any cost. Harry had made friends, both Slytherin and Gryffndor. Gryffindor, house of the brave, the house the hat had nearly placed him in. Harry wasn't sure he was brave either. Just stupid enough to put himself in dangerous situations. Although that sounded like something Snape would say about him.

"You were particularly difficult to place," the hat said, as if it had heard Harry's thoughts. "But you _will_ do well in Slytherin."

"You have to be wrong," Harry said softly, tearing the hat from his head. He felt he would only succeed in the house because of his abilities, because of the similarities between himself, Slytherin, and Voldemort. And he wasn't ready to accept that.

A sound behind him made him turn, just in time for Harry to see a bird near Dumbledore's desk burst into flames. He gasped, knowing there had to be a spell to put out fires, but he hadn't been taught it yet. Harry jumped as Dumbledore came through the office door, looking somber.

"Professor!--Your bird--" Harry gasped. "--He just caught fire--!"

Dumbledore smiled and Harry suddenly felt he agreed with one of Ron's past assessments-- that each and every staff member was completely mad.

"Fawkes is a phoenix," Dumbledore explained. When it is time for them to die, they burn and are reborn from the ashes." He gestured and Harry turned to see a tiny newborn bird poke its head up. "Beautiful, handsome creatures, normally. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful companions."

Harry swallowed heavily as Dumbledore took a seat at his desk and the weight of why he was there dawned on him again. After a length, the old man spoke.

"I bumped into Hagrid on my way here. He swears he was with you only seconds before the attack on Ms Granger."

Harry nodded numbly, his stomach clenching as he thought of Hermione laying stiff and cold.

"I do not believe you attacked anyone, Harry. Nor do Professors Snape and McGonagall. Certainly not after today."

Harry blinked in shock and relief. "Then... who do you think it was, sir?"

"Harry, as proud as I was when you defended the school from dangers last year, it would be unwise to attempt a repeat," Dumbledore answered lightly. Harry took this as a gentle reminder to keep out of it. "However, I did want to ask you if there was anything you wished to tell me." He looked at Harry gently. "Anything at all."

Harry thought of Hermione saying she'd realized something...their plans for the Polyjuice Potion. His ever-changing relationship with Snape and his distrust of Malfoy. And finally, his worry that he would turn out as bad as Slytherin or Voldemort.

"No, sir," he said softly.

 

The school seemed to be even more on edge following the attack. As a result, many students were signing up to go home over the holidays. Luckily, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were staying.

"Millicent was talking about going home," Theo said glumly to Blaise and Harry one night at dinner. "But I guess since we don't have Hermione right now, that's alright..."

"I want to come," Blaise said. Harry and Theo stared at him. "I could be Millicent and just say that I've decided to come back if I'm asked."

They brought up the plan to Ron that night as they sat in a common study area on the third floor.

"Brilliant," said Ron. "Hermione already got a hair for her section of the potion. She told me about it a few weeks ago, after dueling club and I found it in her bag last night, look--" He handed a thin vial containing a hair to Blaise.

"I'll work on trying to get Crabbe and Goyle out of the way," Theo said helpfully. "This _has_ to work out. It's the best chance we have at finding any information..."

"Did your dad every write back to you?" Harry asked.

"I forgot. I missed the morning owl post," Theo said. "He wants me to stay out of trouble... and away from you."

"Percy's been telling me the same," Ron muttered darkly.

"He said he reckons Lucius Malfoy would know more about the first time the chamber was opened, since he's on the board of governors. So Malfoy is our best bet. But he also sounded a little leery about the Malfoys..."

"Well, of course. Remember what Harry saw over the summer?" Ron asked. "Lucius trying to sell all that dark stuff... or get rid of it."

Harry nodded. "I bet your dad wouldn't want to be known as a friend to Malfoy if he was caught with any of that."

Theo nodded.

"When are we doing this Polyjuice stuff, by the way?" Blaise asked.

"We've been thinking after Christmas dinner," Harry answered. "It's usually quiet then. Even most of the staff are taking the day in their offices."

"Then, Ron, you should meet Blaise and Harry in Myrtle's bathroom after the feast. They'll bring you some of Crabbe's hair once we've sorted him and Goyle out."

Ron nodded. Harry took a breath. In about a week, they would be doing this. He and Blaise had done their best to work on finishing the potion; Ron was certain he couldn't do it and Theo was more nervous around a cauldron than Harry was. He could only hope that it all would be worth it, that Hermione's plan had not been in vain.


	9. Potions and Ink

After Christmas dinner, Theo, Blaise, and Harry waited in the Entrance Hall for Crabbe and Goyle. They were one of the last two to come out. Even with a few cakes in their hands, they were still delighted to see Theo's cakes (filled with a sleeping draught) on the base of a statue near the stairs.

The three of them grinned as Crabbe and Goyle kneeled over, asleep. Theo promised to guard the door to the room they shoved them in for an hour. Blaise and Harry went to meet Ron on the second floor. The three of them scooped up goopy potion before heading into separate stalls to drink it.

After a few agonizing moments during which Harry was sure he would be sick, the feeling and changes were over and Harry pulled off his glasses.

"Did it work for you two?" Goyle's raspy voice came from Harry's mouth.

"Yeah," came Crabbe's grunt.

Harry grinned, walking out to find himself face-to-face with a smiling Crabbe.

"This is incredible," Ron said.

"We'd better go," Harry said, looking at his watch. "An hour isn't long. Malfoy's over-dramatic. A conversation with him might take a while."

"Blaise!" Ron shouted. "We need to go--"

"I--um... I can't. It didn't work--"

"What?" Harry asked, exchanging a look with Ron.

"Just go, I'll catch up with you in an hour--"

Harry and Ron hurried out, heading down toward the dungeons.

"For once I'm glad you're in Slytherin," Ron muttered. "Otherwise we'd be clueless looking for the dormitory.

Harry led Ron down to the stone wall. "Oroboros," he said. Nothing happened. "Oh no, did the password change today?"

Ron looked at him. "What should we do? Do you think one of your prefects--"

"What are you two doing?" Percy Weasley was striding toward them.

"What are you doing down here?" Ron asked, surprised. Percy frowned.

"I am a school prefect. I can go wherever I like.

"Crabbe, Goyle, the password's--" Malfoy stopped to sneer at Percy. "What are you doing here, Weasley?"

"Mind your own business, Malfoy." Percy glared back before walking off.

Malfoy shook his head. "Bet he thinks he can catch the heir on his own if he lingers down here." He glanced at Harry and Ron. "Anyway, the new password's 'pureblood'."

The stone wall opened and Harry swallowed. He didn't think this was a password he would want to be saying. "After Snape going off at you in class about muggleborns, I can't believe he set this password," he said, hoping he wasn't talking differently than Goyle would.

Malfoy stared at him. "Heads of Houses don't set the passwords, Goyle." He shook his head dismissively. "Besides, Snape's a filthy half-blood."

"He is?" Ron said. Malfoy nodded.

"My father told me a while back." Malfoy sat on the sofa and Harry and Ron took the two comfy chairs opposite. "I'm not sure what he's playing at, really, defending muggleborns like that. He was a deatheater."

Harry elbowed Ron to silence Ron's near-gasp of surprise. From Malfoy's tone, it was obvious he expected Crabbe and Goyle to know of this.

"Suppose he's trying to protect his image, like Father has been. It's dangerous to be anti-muggleborn. He's already nearly been caught with some dark stuff."

Harry tried to look sympathetic. 

"And all the 'heir of Slytherin' stuff's been making it worse," Ron added. Malfoy nodded.

"Do you know who it is?" Harry asked. Malfoy sighed loudly. 

"You know I don't, Goyle. I told you after Granger was attacked." Malfoy looked into the fire. "I wrote to Father about some of this and he said fifty years ago the Chamber was opened and that oaf, Hagrid, was accused and expelled. There's no way it was him, though. And it can't be him now. They'd have snapped his wand. It's got to be one of us." Harry and Ron exchanged looks of silent shock. "It can't be Saint Potter, though. People actually think it's him, can you believe it?"

Harry shrugged. He wasn't sure what to comment on.

"Well, he did do that thing with the snake," Ron said weakly.

" _That_ was strange," Malfoy said, frowning.

"Did your father say anything else about the Chamber?" Harry asked, trying to get his thoughts together. Snape had been a Death Eater. Hagrid was accused. Malfoy shrugged.

"Last time it was opened, a girl died." He looked at them. "I guess it's only a matter of time before one of them died this time. Father's told me to keep my head down and let the heir get on with it."

Ron looked like he was trying not to shout. His hair looked lighter. Harry checked his watch and then elbowed Ron in alarm. They were nearing the hour.

"Got a stomach ache,"Ron announced, standing. "Should go to hospital wing..."

"I'll go with you--" Harry said quickly.

"Probably ate too much at dinner," Malfoy said in disgust.

They sprinted out and back up to the second floor. Theo was already in Myrtle's bathroom with--

"Balise?" Harry asked. The boy's face was covered with black fur. Two cat ears were poking up from his real hair.

"Oh no..." Ron groaned. "It won't go away?"

Blaise shook his head. "The book said you can't use it on animal transformations..."

"You've got to go to Pomfrey," Theo said. Blaise shook his head stubbornly.

"What if she figures out how it happened?"

"She never asks too many questions..." Harry said optimistically.

 

The next day, once they were sure Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot, the four of them spoke about what they'd learned.

"It can't be Hagrid," Ron said, shaking his head. "Even Malfoy didn't believe it."

Harry nodded. "He might know something about what happened, but he gets so weird whenever I've brought up that he was expelled. I think we should only go to him if things get really bad." He frowned. "And Snape's a Death Eater..."

"Was a Death Eater, Harry," said Theo. "Loads of people renounced You-Know-Who once you'd defeated him. Besides, Dumbledore wouldn't hire a known Death Eater."

"If he'd reformed after Voldemort's fall, how come Voldemort tortured him last year?" Ron asked in a hushed voice. 

"Probably noticed like Quirrell did that he was trying to protect Harry," Blaise said sensibly. Pomfrey had said it would take a while for the fur to fade. "He probably saw that as a threat. Besides, you heard Snape getting all angry at Malfoy for saying that slur. No real Death Eater would do that--look at where Malfoy learned it."

Harry nodded. 

"The important thing," Blaise said, "is that someone died last time. No one died this time. We might get lucky. They might catch the person before it gets any worse..."

 

A week later, Harry had picked up a diary belonging to Tom Riddle off the bathroom floor. Because of the date on it, he and Theo were convinced the diary might be a clue to the Chamber, but Ron pointed out that it was blank. There had to be something dangerous about it, he insisted.

But Harry kept a close hold on it, carrying it with him in case he somehow found out about it.

Valentine's day came and Harry was accosted in the corridor by one of Lockhart's "cupids". His bag split open and ink spilled all over his things. Harry scrambled to get his books together, reaching for the diary across the stone floor. Malfoy and Ginny were both staring at him, and he didn't want to give Malfoy the chance to mock him.

"It could've been worse," Theo told him in class after.

"I've once again managed to look like an idiot in front of the school, and you're telling me it could've been worse?" Harry asked, disbelieving. He pulled out his things from his bag, seeing what was drenched. "Hang on." He held up Riddle's diary. "Everything else's got ink on it. But this looks clean."

Blaise frowned. "There's something weird about that diary, Harry." Theo nodded slowly. "I think you should stop carrying it around at least."

But Harry didn't want to. He felt there was something about the name that seemed familiar. And he wanted to hang onto it until he found out why.

That night, Malfoy was nearly late for Quidditch practice. Harry nearly ran into him on his way out from the locker room.

"Better hurry or Flint'll be after your blood," Harry said. Malfoy nodded, looking bothered. Harry frowned, but didn't comment.

Throughout practice, Malfoy seemed distracted. Finally, Flint called an end to it, and told off Malfoy.

"Come back ready to fly over the weekend, okay?"

Malfoy nodded, hurrying to grab his bag before running out.

"What's with him?" Flint asked Harry. Harry shrugged.

He went down to Slytherin to drop his bag and broom in the dormitory before meeting Theo and Blaise in the common room for a late dinner.

"Malfoy was all bothered today about something," Harry told them, eating a hot potato too quickly and grimacing.

"How come?" Theo asked.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Probably didn't get enough sweets from his mum in the post this morning. Does Flint think we'll get the cup this year?"

Harry nodded. They only had one game left and it was fast approaching. He was glad to have Quidditch to take his mind off things. Hermione's absence had started to bother him. He could only imagine how Ron was feeling.

The three of them went to the dormitory to grab their essays for charms to work on, but Blaise stopped dead in the doorway.

"Harry," he said, pointed.

Harry looked and paled. All his things had been torn through. He rushed over. His broomstick looked okay... his invisibility cloak was still stuffed in with an old pair of Dudley's pants and some socks... Everything seemed alright.

"Oh..." he said softly, sitting on his bed and putting his Potions book down. He looked up at Blaise and Theo. "Riddle's diary is gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (sorry for the short chapter)
> 
> For some reason I had the hardest time trying to type up this chapter. I think I'm getting excited to post the ending chapters, and these few in between just seem boring. But it's gotta be done.   
> One a different note, I think, as when writing Year One I found myself enjoying making changes to Snape's scenes, I've enjoyed writing Draco in this one a lot more than I expected.
> 
> Anyways, expect some fun stuff in the later few chapters :)
> 
> My schedule lately has kept me very busy and pretty tired, so updates may be a little slow. But I'm _hoping_ to have Year Two done by the end of January.


	10. Snape's Inference

It was fast approaching the Easter holidays, and the time had come for the second years to pick their classes for the next year. Ron met Harry, Theo, and Blaise in the library, dragging Neville along with him.

"They told us Hermione will be able to pick hers once she's not petrified," Ron said, flattening his list of subjects. "I'm glad she's not here to stress us out about it."

"It's a serious decision," Theo said. "We have to be careful."

"I wish we could drop subjects," Harry said. "I'd give up History of Magic and Astronomy in a heartbeat."

"I'd give up Potions," Neville said glumly.

"You haven't been doing so badly this year," Blaise told him, but Neville shook his head.

"I still know Snape hates me. If he wasn't so intimidating, I wouldn't stumble over everything. I know he hates it because mistakes are dangerous but... he doesn't help." Neville frowned.

"I'd drop Defense Against the Dark Arts," Ron muttered. They all looked at him in shock. "What? Lockhart doesn't take it seriously. It's not worth it at this point."

"Do we really have to take these class decisions seriously?" Harry asked nervously.

"I'd say don't be like Dean Thomas," Neville mused. "He closed his eyes and stabbed his list with a quill to decide." Theo laughed.

"I'm taking Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures," Blaise announced. Harry looked at him. Blaise had never been one to follow anyone else's lead; trust him to have picked his classes while they were all still talking. The rest of them also marked down Care of Magical Creatures, thinking it could be easy or fun. At least it would be an outdoor class and make a good change from their usual setting inside the castle.

"I think I'll try Divination," Ron said, shrugging. "It's supposed to be about seeing the future--bet it'll be fun."

"I think that would be easier than the other classes," Neville said. "And I'm not really interested in Muggle Studies."

"Harry can tell you about Muggles anytime, anyways," Ron laughed.

"I'm still going to take Muggle Studies, I think," Theo said thoughtfully. "It might be interesting. Muggles are weird."

"I'll do Divination." Harry checked the class off on the list. If Ron and Neville were in the class, at least he would have friends to help him with it if it did get hard.

"Did you figure out what happened to the diary?" Ron asked, once Neville had gone off to join Seamus and Parvarti at another table.

Harry shook his head. "It would've been strange to report it, since it wasn't mine to begin with--I'd just picked it off the bathroom floor. And nothing else was stolen." He shrugged.

"We still haven't seen anyone carrying it around. Whoever it was might've tried to get rid of it, like whoever chucked it at Myrtle," Theo mused.

Ron sighed. "Figures. We get a potential connection to the first time the chamber was opened, but it's blank and then stolen." He shook his head. "At least, if it _was_ dangerous, we won't have to deal with that now..."

 

Harry left the Great Hall with Theo the morning of the next Quidditch match. It was Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, so Harry and Theo were going to join Ron in the Gryffindor stands. Slytherin stood to win the house cup so far; Flint said to the team that there was no way Gryffindor could catch up with them.

 

Harry felt himself shiver. He looked to Theo, stopping in the entrance hall. "I've just heard the voice again."

Theo frowned. "Do you think---another attack?"

Harry swallowed heavily. "I hope not. Let's just get to the pitch. I don't want to get blamed for another one if there is one." He tried to squash the uneasy feeling in his stomach. Even if the voice did predict attacks, there seemed to be nothing he could do to stop them.

They hurried out and took seats beside Ron. The teams were just starting warm-ups. They watched blurs of red zoom around the pitch.

"Fred and George say Wood's been crazy about winning the cup this year," Ron said. He looked to the pitch longingly. "I want to try out, but Wood's the best Keeper in Gryffindor, and he doesn't graduate until next year."

"Fourth year, then, you've got to try out," Theo said. "Harry and you have all next year to practice."

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall walked across the field, a large megaphone in her hand.

"This can't be good," Ron muttered anxiously.

"This match has been cancelled!" McGonagall announced.

Oliver Wood landed beside her and appeared to be trying to argue with her. Harry was torn between laughing and feeling bad for him.

"He won't get anywhere," Harry said. "Not when she looks that serious. She's always scary when she looks serious."

"All students will make their way back to their houses, where their heads of houses will give them more information. Quickly, please!"

The three of them exchanged looks.

"Guess we'll see you in class," Harry muttered to Ron. Ron nodded glumly.

"It's gotta be another attack," Theo said, as they followed the group of Slytherins down to the dungeons. "I can't see anything else making McGonagall seem so worried." He looked at Harry. "Do you think you should tell Snape you heard the voice?"

Harry blinked at him. "I think we should wait."

They all gathered inside the Slytherin common room, whispering to themselves. Harry looked around and saw Ginny Weasley sitting at one of the corner tables with two other first year girls, looking very pale. 

A hush broke out as Snape walked in, looking grave.

"There have been two attacks. Justin Finch-Fletchy of Hufflepuff and Penelope Clearwater of Ravenclaw were found petrified, just before the match, in their respectoive gender's bathrooms."

Gemma Farley gasped from behind Harry. "Clearwater is a prefect," she whispered. "I know her..."

Snape cleared his throat, his face stern. "Professor McGonagall and the headmaster are, as you can expect, extremely distressed. It's likely that the school will close unless the attacker is caught." His eyes swept the room, seeming to stare at each of them in turn. "If anyone has any information, I would suggest they come forward at the earliest opportunity."

He went on the explain some new safety rules. Harry looked across the room at the others. Malfoy looked tired and pale, ill almost. He sat next to Pansy, who was frowning.

"Even Snape thinks it's one of us," Blaise said after Snape left. He shook his head. "I mean, if he was a Death Eater, I guess he knows to expect Slytherins to turn out bad, but ..."

"What should we do?" Theo asked. 

"Do you think that they suspect Hagrid?" Blaise had a small line of worry between his eyebrows.

"I hope not," Harry muttered. "Hermione's his friend. And besides, I was talking with him a few minutes before I found Hermione, there's no way..."

Theo cut him off. "I think we have to ask him about fifty years ago."

"How?" Blaise asked. "We can't leave the dungeons except for class."

"I wish Hagrid was a teacher instead of Lockhart," Theo said wistfully. "It would make everything easier."

"Exactly, think of the good marks we would get just for showing up."

Harry laughed. "You both forget that I have my dad's invisibility cloak," he said quietly. "Though I think one of us should stay here to cover for the other two. People will probably notice we're gone."

"I'll stay," Blaise said."

"Just keep Malfoy from tattling," Theo told him.

"Malfoy's looking ill," Harry commented. "Maybe he'll keep to himself all night."

 

After dinner that night, Harry and Theo slipped under the cloak. They both had grown since the previous year, but the cloak still fit over both of them. The castle was quieting down for the night as students and teachers were getting settled. They had about an hour before 6pm, when the new curfew would be in effect.

After leaving through the doors, they sprinted to Hagrid's hut, only pulling off the cloak once they'd reached his door and pounded on it. They were met by Hagrid holding a large crossbow, and Fang barking loudly.

"Oh." He lowered the bow. "What're yeh doin' here?"

"We need to--" Harry shook his head. "Hagrid, what is that for?" He asked as they stepped in.

"Nothin'--" Hagrid muttered. "Sit down--I'll make tea." But he seemed unable to, his hands were shaking badly.

"I'll do it, Hagrid." Theo rushed over hastily. 

Hagrid sat beside Harry, looking anxious.

"Listen," Harry said, as Theo poured them all giant mugs of tea, "I know you hate talking about it, but--we--"

"Hagrid, we know you couldn't have opened the Chamber. But we heard they blamed you last time," Theo said softly.

Hagrid looked from Theo to Harry nervously. "I didn't wan' yeh thinkin' less o' me," he said to Harry. "How did yeh find out?"

"It doesn't matter," Harry said quickly. "We just wanted to hear the full story from you."

Hagrid looked into his mug of tea. "I was raisin' a baby acromentula--" Theo gasped. "--around the time the attacks were happenin'. Then that girl died in a bathroom. The Head Boy, Tom Riddle--" It was Harry's turn to gasp. "--he must've found out about the spider. He turned me in--Aragog escaped though--"

"You named a giant spider Aragog?" Theo asked. Harry was reminded of the three headed, deadly dog, Hagrid had named "Fluffy" the previous year. Hagrid waved his hand, unconcerned. 

"Anyways, once I was expelled, somehow the attacks stopped. Riddle was given an award." Hagrid shook his head.

"What house were you in? What house was Riddle in?" Harry asked slowly.

Hagrid looked at him. "I was in Gryffindor. But Harry, leave this alone. It's dangerous."

"But if he turned you in, and then the attacks stopped, maybe it was him, maybe he's just been laying low--"

"He can't've done it this time," Hagrid said gruffly.

"Why not?" Theo asked.

"He isn't around anymore," Hagrid said, looking away. "He was a Slytherin. But that doesn' mean anythin'--"

There was a knock on the door. Hagrid looked up, his face white. "Hide under the cloak--"

Theo dumped his hand Harry's mugs into the sink and then the two of them hid swiftly by the fireplace.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry took the cloak off them, heart hammering. "He knew we were there," he said. Dumbledore had made eye-contact with him, or so it had seemed.

"Dumbledore can't see through cloaks."

"I think he can. It's the second time he's caught me with it--"

"Harry, what about him having to step down?" Theo looked scared. "Some people say Dumbledore's the only reason this place is safe--"

Harry swallowed. "Lucius Malfoy is awful." He shook his head. "Coward makes Dumbledore leave at a time like this."

"I wonder if Draco knows?"

Harry threw the cloak over them both, patting Fang goodbye. Once they'd made it to the dungeons, Harry checked his watch. "It's five til six, I need to do something. I'll meet you in the common room. Fill Blaise in for me."

Theo frowned at Harry but hurried off. Harry stripped off the cloak, balling it up anxiously as he walked down the corridor.

Snape was closing the door to his office. "Mr Potter," he said, catching sight of Harry. "You would be wise to head back to your dormitory, instead of strutting about the castle asking for detention."

"I need to tell you something, about the attacks." He knew he couldn't really tell Snape about Hagrid. He had no proof to show Hagrid's innocence. 

Snape's eyes narrowed, but he held open the door. "In."

Harry stood until Snape gestured for him to sit in the wooden chair in front of his desk. Snape remained standing.

"It's about... Everything." He explained how he'd been hearing the voice before every attack, how when he'd heard it and told Hermione, she'd run off to the library. He tried to explain how sinister the voice sounded, how it sent a chill up his spine...how it felt Dark to listen to. By the end of it, the crease between Snape's eyebrows had narrowed dramatically.

"Potter, this makes sense."

Harry blinked. "What does?" he didn't have a clue how Snape could understand what might be going on.

"You're probably the only one in the castle who speaks Parseltongue, correct?" Snape was staring at him. Harry nodded slowly. "And you're the only one hearing this voice."

"You think the voice is a snake?" Harry felt like hitting himself. This was why he wasn't put into Ravenclaw. Hermione must have realized. "She -- went to the library to find out if Slytherin's monster is a snake," Harry said softly.

Snape nodded. "I'm guessing..." His eyes narrowed in thought. "It's only a guess, but Basilisks are ancient snakes, bred by Dark Wizards. Their stare will kill."

Harry shivered. "And if you don't look it in the eye, could it petrify you?" he said, catching on. Snape inclined his head. 

"They tend to be massive, however." Snape frowned at Harry. "Where would you say the voice was coming from?"

Harry thought back. "The walls," he said slowly," or the ceiling, I guess."

"Then it may be safe to say that it's getting around the castle in the plumbing." Snape motioned for Harry to leave. He walked beside Harry until they reached Slytherin's entrance. "Stay in Slytherin. Do not use the bathrooms alone, and not without taking care. I need to speak with Minerva." He looked Harry in the eye. "Under no circumstances investigate any of this on your own. Do you understand?" Harry nodded. Snape jerked his head. "Pureblood," he hissed bitterly, to Slytherin's entrance. Then swiftly strode away.

Harry stood for a moment, shocked, before hurrying inside to spread the news, and warn everyone of the bathrooms.


	11. Knowing No Bounds

The next week, Professor McGonagall told them all, to their shock, that they had better be studying for their exams. She'd criticized Malfoy, who was usually the best of the Year of the Slytherins, for poor concentration. It seemed that Malfoy wouldn't be too much of a rival for Hermione's "best in the year" spot, once she was un-petrified.

"Despite the events of late, exams will be taking place," McGonagall said sternly, to the class's groans. "We still need to decipher what you have learned."

Malfoy scowled half-heartedly. He still looked ill to Harry, but Harry now had too much on his mind to wonder what Malfoy was up to. What had he learned that year? All he could think of was the Expelliarmus spell and learning how to brew a Polyjuice Potion--one of which had been breaking school rules, neither had been class material. Harry tried to imagine himself convincing Snape to pass him in potions based on a flawless, illegal, Polyjuice Potion. He couldn't.

But on a brighter note, McGonagall announced to the school soon before their exams that the mandrakes were ready. That night, they would be reviving people.

"We should see Hermione," Theo said to Harry and Ron after breakfast. "After History of Magic. It's been ages since we've visited her."

"Should leave her a card," Ron agreed. "She'll know we've been there when she wakes up."

That afternoon, the three of them headed up to the hospital wing, where they sat at Hermione's side. It was good to think that she would be back with them that night. Between her and Dumbledore, Hogwarts had felt more empty than usual to Harry. Ron had brought with them a card; he'd gotten Dean Thomas, who was apparently great at drawing, to doodle their faces on it, and so Harry and Theo had signed it.

"Wonder if she did see the attacker?" Ron mused. "Or any of them. It would be nice to finally find out who it was."

Harry stared at Hermione for a while before noticing something about her hand, clenched on the blankets. "She's holding something," he said suddenly. He carefully pulled a sheet of paper from Hermione's stiff fingers.

Theo and Ron crowded around Harry to read over his shoulder.

"So Snape's probably right!" Harry pointed to a few words on the page, torn from some book about magical creatures. "Hermione figured it's a basilisk too!"

"She's even written 'pipes' at the bottom, look..." Theo pointed. "If only we'd noticed this sooner. Maybe the other two wouldn't have been attacked."

"At least they were in a bathroom," Ron said. "All those mirrors, they were lucky they didn't have to look it in the eyes."

Harry stared at him. "Attacked in the bathroom--Ron that's it!"

"What's it?"

"Hagrid told us--the girl that died the last time--she was found in a bathroom--"

Theo frowned. "You don't think--Moaning Myrtle?"

"Do you think the entrance is in her bathroom somewhere?" Ron gasped.

"There's got to be another Parselmouth in the school," Theo muttered. "Controlling the snake... I wonder if Snape's tried to find him."

"We should talk to Myrtle--" said Harry and then shook his head. "Well, we should probably get McGonagall, or anyone on the staff to talk with her. They could find out what happened 50 years ago--"

The three of them raced to the staffroom. Harry knocked quickly, but there was no answer. Slowly, they pushed open the door to find the room empty.

"Let's wait here," Theo said. "We're not supposed to be in the corridors alone."

The bell never sounded. The three of them paced anxiously until McGonagall's voice sounded through out the halls.

" _All students to return to their houses immediately. All teachers to the staff room. Quickly please._ "

Harry stared at Ron and Theo. "Another attack? Now?""

"What do we do?" Theo asked. "Go back to our houses?"

Ron gaped at him. "But we're already here."

Harry nodded. "Let's hide and hear them out. If we still think they need to know what we do, we can tell them."

The three of them hid in a wardrobe against the back wall. The teachers filed in quite quickly. Harry noticed Snape looking bothered. Then McGonagall arrived, white-faced.

"It's happened," she said. "A student has been taken by the monster, into the Chamber."

Flitwick squeaked. Sprout looked close to tears. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard, white-knuckled.

"How do you know?" Professor Sinistra said quietly.

"The Heir left another message, under the first. _His skeleton will lie in the chamber forever._ "

Flitwick burst into tears. Hooch sunk into a chair--and she wasn't the only one who looked weak at the knees. "Who--?"

"Draco Malfoy," Snape said in a voice near a whisper, looking even paler than normal. Sprout inhaled sharply in shock.

Ron turned his head to stare at Harry, wide-eyed. "A Slytherin pure-blood," he hissed.

The door banged open, and Harry prayed it would be Dumbledore. His heart sank as he saw Lockhart step into the room. "Sorry, dozed off--did I miss anything?" He looked around, clueless, as the other teachers stared at him venomously. Snape stepped forward, his face dark.

"Just the man. The very man. A student has been taken by the monster, to the chamber. Your time, Lockhart, has come." Lockhart paled.

"W-What?"

"I seem to recall that you'd wanted a crack at the monster," Snape said simply.

"Well, then it's settled," McGonagall said. "Tonight you will have free reign.." Lockhart paled and left.

McGonagall and Snape exchanged looks and Harry felt sure they would be smirking if the situation weren't so grave.

The rest of the staff soon exited, on their way to guard the halls or announce the news to their houses.

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"I don't like Malfoy, but if he's been taken, we've got to find a way to save him," said Harry. "You heard McGonagall, they'll close Hogwarts for this."

"We could tell Lockhart," Theo suggested. "He might be useless, but maybe he will try to find the chamber, and any information we can give him is a start."

"Ron, you can tell McGonagall what we know. We'll talk to Snape. We should get back to our houses anyways--they'll notice if they're missing people at a time like this. If they don't believe us, we'll come get you, Ron, with my dad's cloak, and find Lockhart ourselves."

Ron nodded. "I'll sneak out the Fat Lady once everything's calmed down. And wait for you two." He looked at Theo and Harry. "Listen, both of you, be careful. Malfoy being snatched..." He shook his head. "Everyone's at risk now, not just muggleborns."

"You be careful too," Harry said. Theo nodded.

 

Back in the Slytherin common room, Snape told them all what had happened, voice dead low. He was still looking pale and bothered. Harry wondered if the prospect of the school closing upset the teachers as much as it did him.

"Harry, Theo... Blaise, I need to talk to you." Ginny Weasley said nervously from behind Harry.

"Ginny, we can't--" Harry looked around to see Snape leaving. "We have some information--"

"It's about the chamber, the attacks!" Ginny's voice pitched with nervous. Harry and Theo exchanged looks, but the four of them sat at a table.

Ginny then proceeded to tell them the truth about the diary, that it seemed possessed by whoever Tom Riddle was. That it had possessed her, made her open the chamber, and attack muggleborns. She confessed a lot of things were still fuzzy, but since she'd chucked the diary away, she'd felt better.

"But then I saw it in Harry's bag and..."

"Did you try to steal it back?" Harry asked. Ginny shook her head.

"I wanted to, but I overheard you saying the diary was gone. I... was relieved I wouldn't have to touch it again. But then there was another attack and ..." She began to tear up.

"Do you think Draco had the diary?" Blaise asked. "Or someone else?"

Ginny shrugged. "Someone has to have had it. How else would they have gotten Malfoy?"

"So there's not another Parselmouth?" Harry asked. "The diary can make you talk to snakes?"

"It must..."

Harry thought of the words _His skeleton will lie in the chamber forever_ and shivered. "We've got to hurry. Blaise, can you and Ginny find Ron? He can help you explain. Find Snape or McGonagall--whoever you run into first. Tell them everything." He stood, determined. "I'm going to try to get into the Chamber. See if I can catch up to Malfoy before anything happens. If we just wait for them, it might be too late."

"Then I'm coming too," Theo said. "You're right, I don't like Malfoy either, but if he's in trouble, it would be stupid to ignore it. Plus, I don't want to see this place close." He looked away. "It's home here, isn't it?"

Harry smiled bracingly. "Alright."

"Good luck, Harry, Theo," Blaise said.

Harry shot to the dormitory to grab the invisibility cloak before hurrying out with Theo. If they were stopped in the hall for being out without a staff member, if would only waste time.

He only hoped they weren't too late already.


	12. The Heir of Slytherin

Harry and Theo raced into Myrtle's bathroom, flinging off the cloak and looking around. Myrtle appeared in an instant.

"Oh, hello Harry. You haven't been here in a while."

"Myrtle," Harry said, catching his breath. "We've come to ask you... how you died."

"Ohhhh," Myrtle sounded delighted. "Someone in my year was making fun of me, so I shut myself in a stall, in here. Then I heard a boy's voice, but it wasn't English. Some kind of make up language."

Harry and Theo exchanged looks. It must have been Parseltongue.

"Was the boy Tom Riddle?" Harry asked. Myrtle shrugged.

"I don't know. I went out to tell him to go away--and then I died."

Theo blinked. "That's it?"

"I do remember seeing big yellow eyes by the sinks--"

Harry and Theo immediately rushed over, looking at the sinks one by one. Harry spotted it finally; one of the taps had a tiny snake carved into it.

"That one's never worked," Myrtle said, as Harry tried to turn it. "Pity, it would be nice to have another one to use to flood this place..."

"Harry, tell it to open. Talk to it in Parseltongue," Theo said.

"What if it's passworded?" Harry asked. Theo looked at him incredulously.

"This is why you're not in Ravenclaw, Potter. As if a language no one else knows isn't enough to keep it safe?"

Harry turned back to the sink, ears burning. "Open," he said.

"English," Theo said from behind him.

Harry thought back to everytime he'd spoken Parseltongue. It had always been when a real snake had been there. He had to try to imagine he coule have a conversation with the snake on the tap. He tilted his head. From some angles, the flickering candlelight almost made the snake look like it was moving.

" _Open_ ," said Harry. And this time, he was aware that he was hissing instead of speaking normal words. The sink moved, dropping down to reveal a large pipe. A pipe big enough for a fully grown human to fit down. Harry peared into it, seeing only blackness. "Feels weird, doing this without Ron or Hermione," he mutter. Then he turned to Theo. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Theo nodded.

"Just don't run off alone like last year," he said. "Especially if a teacher follows us again."

Harry smiled grimly and then jumped in.

They fell into what felt like a huge stone slide. After heading down it for a good while, Harry trying to squash his nerves, they tumbled into a large, open space. Damped lined the walls. Harry winced at an awful crunching noise as he stood.

"Gross," Theo muttered, brushing dirt off his robes. They stood on hundreds of tiny bones, rats, and other small animals that had once been alive long ago. Harry shivered taking in the sheer amount of them.

"Do you think Malfoy might actually be still alive?" he muttered. They headed forward, making their way along a tunnel.

"Dunno," Theo said softly. "I wonder why he was taken? Why not use him as a way to kidnap a Muggleborn?"

Harry frowned. That was a good question. If the Chamber existed to purge the school from unworthy students, this result didn't make sense. "We must be miled under the castle," he said eventually.

"Gotta be under the lake," Theo agreed, pointing out damp walls. "Whoa." 

Harry stopped dead, prepared to shut his eyes, but then he saw it too. Before them was a huge, gigantic, white snakeskin. "It's huge," he said in wonder. 

"I wonder if you could control it? The basilisk," Theo said, looking at the skin from the face.

Harry shook his head. "Only Slytherin's heir is supposed to be able to, remember? I don't think either of us believes I'm related to him."

"But somehow you got landed with Parseltongue," Theo pointed out. "Maybe they think only the heir can control it because no one else can speak to it."

"If we bump into it, I'll ask how it's doing," Harry muttered. "But I hope we don't have to face it." He looked at Theo. "Do you think Ginny and the others will be able to convince McGonagall?"

Theo nodded. "They have to. Especially if Ron and Blaise can bring her to Myrtle's bathroom. Then they'll see the entrance for themselves."

Harry knew they both were only talking quietly to keep their nerves at bay. His stomach was churning uneasily. After another bend in the tunnel, they spotted a wall with two serpents carved in it, emeralds for eyes. Neither Harry or Theo said anything at this discovery. Whatever the Chamber contained, it had to lay beyond.

" _Open_ ," Harry hissed.

The snakes parted and the wall cracked open. Harry and Theo glanced at each other before entering, pulling out their wands. They looked around as they walked through massive columns, praying that none of the shadows would move. Then, they found themselves approaching a giant statue of an ancient wizard. Harry craned his neck to get a look at the face--this must have been Slytherin.

"Malfoy--" Theo muttered, running forward. Malfoy lay on his back beneath the statue, but at the sound of their footsteps, his head turned weakly.

"Nott--Potter--Run--It's _him_ ," Malfoy croaked.

Hary felt his heart thump quickly. He'd never seen Malfoy look so scared.

"Not without you," Harry said.

"I don't think so," came a soft voice.

Harry and Theo spun, looking to find a black-haired boy leaning casually against a column, watching them calmly. Something about him seemed off, as if he didn't belong there--or wasn't quite there...

"Who are you?" Theo said bravely.

The boy smiled. "Tom Riddle."

They shared glances.

"The Heir of Slytherin, then," Harry said, trying to think what to do.

"Oh, well done," Riddle said, shooting him a calculating look. "Harry Potter. I'd hoped I'd get to meet you."

Harry frowned. "How are you here? Like this--Wouldn't you be about sixty now?"

"My memory was preserved in a d--"

"Diary," Theo breathed, wise-eyed. He was staring at the floor next to riddle--the diary was there. Theo looked to Harry. They had to destroy it somehow, before the snake showed up.

"Why do you want to meet me?" Harry asked.

"Ginny talked about you all the time. The boy who defeated Lord Voldemort."

"Why would you care about that?" Theo asked. "Voldemort was after your time."

Riddle smiled. "So, you didn't figure out this bit, did you." He wrote fire-y letters in the air with Malfoy's wand:

_TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE_

And then waved his wand. The letters rearranged:

_I AM LORD VOLDEMORT_

"How long did it take you to come up with that?" Harry asked.

Riddle frowned, ugly. "I'm going to use this Malfoy boy's life force to return to power."

"But why?" Harry asked. "You're the Heir of Slytherin, aren't you suppose to purge Muggleborns from the school? He's a Slytherin pureblood--"

"I could care less about others. Slytherin or not." Riddle grinned nastily. "My only aim is to bring myself back. I, the greatest sorcerer in the world, will return as Lord Voldemort."

"You're really not," Harry said angrily. "I don't know either of you very well, but Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world."

Theo nodded from beside Harry.

"Dumbledore's been driven away by the mere memory of me!"

He's not as gone as you might think!" Harry wanted to scare, or distract, Riddle. At least enough so they could grab the diary and figure out what to do from there.

Suddenly there was music, beautiful, odd music. Then, flames erupted at the top of one of the columns and Fawkes the Phoenix burst out. He flew at Harry, dropping something on the floor and landing beside him.

"So, the greatest sorcerer sends aid in the form of a bird and an old hat? Good luck, Harry Potter!" Riddle turned to the statue. " _Speak to me, Slytherin, Greatest of the Hogwarts Four!_ "

The statues mouth opened. Fawkes took to the air again.

"He's calling the snake, isn't he?" Theo asked, deathly pale with fear. He sprinted to the diary, scooping it up in his hands and turning to Harry. "How should we destroy it?"

"It's probably enchanted," Harry said lowly. "I don't know if either of us know anyway powerful to destroy it."

"So we've got to bring it to the teachers?" Theo asked. He frowned.

"We can't leave Malfoy..." Harry looked at him, mind made up. "Go, I'll hold him off."

Theo shook his head but started running. "Repeat of last year, you'd better stay alive," he said.

"Be careful," Harry said, tearing his eyes away from the statue as something inside moved.

Theo sprinted for the entrance to the Chamber. Harry watched in fear as the snake moved to follow--could Harry speak to it?--But then Fawkes dove from the air. Blood spattered the stone floor. Harry finally looked--the snakes eyes had been ruined by Fawkes.

"NO!" Riddle screamed. " _Get the boy! You can hear him running away!_ "

Harry grabbed the sorting hat, ducking behind a pillar. It must be here for a reason. Fawkes wouldn't have come with something useless. Harry held his breath, jamming the hat on his head.

 _Please help--_ Harry thought, closing his eyes tightly.

Something very hard knocked Harry on the top of the head. He took off the hat, dazed. Inside it was a sword, handle decorated with rubies. Harry pulled it from the hat, standing quickly, knowing he now had a chance at killing the monster.

"HEY!" he shouted, trying to get the basilisk to stop following Theo. " _HEY!_ " The hiss roared from Harry and the snake finally turned--it dove for Harry and Harry dodged on instinct.

He couldn't kill it by dodging. _You wanted to be a Gryffindor,_ thought Harry, _then act like it, be brave!_

As it lunged again, Harry threw his weight into the sword, driving its hilt into the snake's face. He heard Theo gasp in shock and fear--and then felt hot blood running down his arm--his own blood--a fang stuck out of Harry's arm, splintering as the Basilisk fell. Harry collapsed, yanking the fang from his arm. White hot pain spread through him. His vision was fogging.

"HARRY!" Theo was running back toward him, kneeling beside him and dropping the diary. Harry wanted to tell him to run, but the room was spinning. "NO! What do we do--?"

Fawkes landed on Harry's other side. 

"Thanks Fawkes," Harry said thickly. "You were great."

"You're dead, Potter. I wish you could have lived to see my great return." Riddle smiled. "Even Dumbledore's bird is crying."

Harry looked over, the room spinning. Fawkes was crying. But then, the room seemed to be coming into focus. Harry shook his head. Theo stared at him, white faced. Fawkes tears were pooling on the wound--or where the wound should have been. Harry stared. The wound had healed.

"Damn bird," Riddle muttered. He raised Draco's wand. "I'll do this even without the basilisk.

Harry swallowed, his hand clenching on the first thing within reach when it didn't grasp his wand. It was the fang. Then, heart pumping, Harry had an idea. He grabbed the diary, plunging the fang into it.

Riddle screamed, and ink spurted from the book as the boy writhed. Then, Riddle vanished completely, the hole in the book remained sizzling for several seconds with the basilisk poison. It was dead silent for a few moments, then Harry let out a breath.

"Harry," Theo's voice was breathless. "Harry, you did it."


	13. In the Right Place

Harry pulled himself up shakily, and bent over to pick up his wand. Theo gathered up the ruined diary and the hat as Harry walked over and yanked the sword out of the basilisk's mouth.

There came a moan as Malfoy sat up slowly.

"Potter--Nott--" he said softly. "Riddle and the diary--I didn't want--My father," he took a breath, "I knew he put it in her--"

"Potter, Nott, Malfoy!"

The three of them turned at the shout to find Snape racing towards them, face white. He slid to a halt in the wet, taking in the basilisk the phoenix, and the three of them covered in muck, water and, in Harry's case, blood. Snape swallowed.

"Minerva, two of the Weasley's and Zabini are in Minerva's office, waiting for us," he said at last. "I was... I'm glad I will be returning with the three of you, alive."

Harry nodded. It seemed none of them knew quite how to respond to the situation.

"Are you injured, Potter?" Snape asked. They began walking back through the chamber. Harry shook his head.

"No. Fawkes he--he healed me."

Snape looked at the bird curiously. Fawkes hovered at the base of the large stone pipe they'd come down. "I believe he wants to help us up," Snape said softly. He took ahold of the bird's tail with one hand, reaching out to Harry with the other. Harry tucked the sword in his belt, gripping Snape's arm. Theo and Malfoy formed a chain, each grabbing hold of the robes of the person in front of them. And then they flew.

Once at the top, Myrtle greeted them all with something like disappointment in her voice. Snape ignored her, leading the way to McGonagall's office with Fawkes flying beside him.

"Sir--" Malfoy began.

"Please wait, Mr Malfoy," Snape said softly.

They soon arrived at McGonagall's office. Snape knocked before holding open the door for the rest of them to pass through.

"Draco--" Lucius Malfoy was inside, staring at them, pale. Harry noticed Dobby standing at Mr Malfoy's side, looking terrified.

"HARRY THEO!" Blaise, Ron, and Ginny rushed forward.

"How did you make it out?" Blaise asked.

"Did you see the snake?" Ron questioned.

"What about Riddle--?" Ginny sputtered.

"Please," came a voice. Harry looked over in shock to see Dumbledore standing beside McGonagall. Lucius Malfoy sent a furious look in his direction. "Let everyone speak in their own time. I'm sure we all want to hear the story."

"Let's all sit," McGonagall suggested, conjuring several more chairs. "Now, what exactly happened?"

Harry began to tell them everything, in as much detail as he could, starting with how he'd heard the voice in Snape's office, how Hermione and Snape figured the monster had to be a snake if only Harry could here it. They all discussed discovering how Hagrid had been blamed fifty years ago (avoiding any mention of the Polyjuice Potion). Ginny brought up how she'd found the diary in her school things and used it, only to become aware she'd been possessed, how she's tried to get rid of it in Myrtle's bathroom. Harry told them of his brief ownership of the diary, how it had been stolen from his things.

They shared how they reasoned the entrance might be in Myrtle's bathroom, and, finally, discussed the adventure Theo and Harry had had in the Chamber.

"But how does any of this involve Draco?" Mr Malfoy hissed.

Draco looked at his father, loathing in his eyes. "As if you care. You started this whole thing!"

"What?" Mr Malfoy's face was dangerous. Harry saw Dobby flinch.

"That day in Diagon Alley--after we'd gone to Borgin and Burke's--you put the diary in Weasley's--in Ginny's cauldron. I saw it with Potter's things and stole it back from him." Draco hung his head. "And then it made me attack those two." He closed his eyes. "Because of me, You-Know-Who nearly came back."

Dumbledore was hastily scribbling several notes on parchment. He looked up. "Well, Lucius?"

Mr Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "You'd believe the word of a child over my own? Prove it."

"Over the summer, I was warned by someone who lived in the Malfoy household that terrible things were planned for the year," Harry said. Everyone turned to look at him. "They came at great risk to themselves to warn me. They couldn't say what it was, but later in the year did tell me that history was repeating itself."

Mr Malfoy's look was murderous.

"Well." Dumbledore stood. "Mr Zabini, Mr Weasley, I need the two of you to send some owls for me. To the Ministry. We need out gamekeeper back. And we will need someone to come and collect Mr Malfoy. I'm sure they will want to put him on trial soon."

Mr Malfoy's nostrils flared as Blaise and Ron hurried out. He stood quickly--Dobby flinched again-- fists clenched, eyes daggers aimed at Dumbledore. Snape stood as well, eyes cold, swiftly moving to stand between Lucius Malfoy and Dumbledore.

"Enough," Dumbledore said lightly. "Severus, could you escort Lucius to the front gates. Do be sure he gets there safely."

Snape nodded jerkily, still looking at Mr Malfoy with an expression of loathing. He ushered Mr Malfoy out. Dobby lingered for a moment, looking frightened, before following slowly.

"Ms Weasley, Mr Malfoy, please head to Slytherin. Neither of you are in trouble. I commend your bravery in telling us of all this. If you feel the need, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will look you over."

Malfoy stood, looking pale and angry.

"If you should need to talk, I'm sure Professor Snape would make the time," McGonagall said softly.

"Minerva," Dumbledore said, once the office had cleared a little, "would you organize a feast? I think we are due for some celebration." McGonagall smiled and nodded, exiting the office, looking less burdened.

At long last, Dumbledore turned to Harry and Theo. "You will both receive special awards for services to the school. And 200 points each for Slytherin."

Harry grinned at Theo. "We're beating Gryffindor!"

"Mr Nott, you may return to Slytherin until the feast. Mr Potter, I'd like a quick word."

Theo looked at Harry, grinning, and then left.

"Thank you," Dumbledore said quietly. Harry blinked. "I haven't done anything to deserve great loyalty from you, Harry, and yet you must have shown it to call Fawkes to you."

Harry shifted, shrugging. Then, something came into his mind, nagging him. "Professor... this term I heard that--well, I think I'm a lot like Riddle. I'm--I'm worried that I'm only in Slytherin because I'm like him."

Dumbledore looked at Harry thoughtfully. "Do you honestly think you are like him, harry? Despite being in Slytherin, the two of you--"

"We both speak Parseltongue, could get into the chamber..." Harry bit his lip. "The Sorting Hat said I'd do well in Slytherin. Everyone thought I was the heir, for a while..."

"You only share Parseltongue with Voldemort because Voldemort can speak it," Dumbledore said quietly. Harry frowned at him in confusion. "That night, when he tried to kill you as a baby, he seemed to have transferred some of his power to you, without knowing."

Harry hung his head. "So the hat was right. I do belong in Slytherin." He closed his eyes. "Because I'm like Voldemort..."

"Harry."

Harry opened his eyes. Dumbledore was holding the sword out to him. Dimly, Harry took it. "Take a look," Dumbledore said gently.

Slowly, Harry turned it over. Engraved on the hilt was--

"Godric Gryffindor?" Harry breathed. He looked up. Dumbledore was smiling at him.

"Any good Gryffindor showing true bravery could call that to them. In your case..." Dumbledore paused. "Well, Slytherin's heir could speak to snakes, and reach a certain chamber. Let's just say that Gryffindor's heir could call his weapon to him in times of need."

Harry gaped at him in shock.

"Harry, our abilities do not determine who we are. Our choices do." Dumbledore looked him in the eye. "You are resourceful, determined, and quick-witted. I've seen enough of you to know that you wish to prove yourself, even though you have done so again and again. These are all Slytherin qualities, and excellent ones to have, when treated the right way." Dumbledore smiled at him. "You are also brave and daring, like Gryffindors often are."

"The hat had to decide between the two for me," Harry said softly.

"And it probably chose correctly," Dumbledore said seriously.

Harry frowned at him, thinking. "Slytherins don't have to be evil. Slytherin qualities don't make someone a bad person." He looked up, determinedly. "I want to prove that."

"Then you are exactly where you belong." Dumbledore said. "Save for physically. Head on down to the feast."

Harry turned for the door before remembering Dobby's scared face. "Sir, what happens to a house elf if their owner gets into trouble? Are they freed?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "They are bound to serve one master, forever. Only that master can choose to free them."

Harry paused, thinking. "Sir, do you think I could give the diary back to Mr Malfoy... before he's taken away?"

Dumbledore smiled calmly.

"Be quick, Harry. And good luck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the penultimate chapter in the fic. I hope you're all enjoying how things are turning out.
> 
> I did want to add a note here to say: I wrestled back and forth in mentioning that Harry is Gryffindor's heir. I think the canon could be read as showing that, in a way, and it has been discussed in the fandom for a while (Jo Rowling never said either way though, I believe).


	14. The End of Term

Harry dashed out of Dumbledore's office, making his way through the corridors and down the steps as quickly as he could. Finally, as he burst through the front doors and into the courtyard, he caught sight of Snape, Mr Malfoy, and Dobby. Quickly, he pulled off a dirty sock and shoved the diary in it.

"Mr Malfoy!" he shouted. The three ahead of him stopped and turned. "Mr Malfoy, I've got something for you!" And he shoved the sock-clad book into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"What the--?"

Mr Malfoy yanked the sock off the diary, threw it aside, and then looked from the book to Harry. "You think I want this back, Potter?"

"Give it here," Snape said idly. "The ministry will most likely want to examine it." Malfoy handed over the book and the two of them began walking again. When Dobby didn't follow, Mr Malfoy spun.

"Come, Dobby."

Dobby held up the sock, looking at it fondly. "Master has given Dobby clothes."

"WHAT?" Mr Malfoy spat.

"Got a sock," Dobby said happily. "Master threw it--Dobby caught it--Dobby... is _free!_ "

There was a pause as Malfoy's face turned ugly. Then he lunged at Harry. In the same instant, Snape stepped between Harry and Malfoy, wand drawn, and Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

There was a bang as Mr Malfoy was thrown backward, falling onto his back. He stood up slowly, face livid. Dobby crossed his arms also moving to stand between Harry and Malfoy. Mr Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Snape.

"You dare raise your wand against _me_ , Severus? To protect _him_? Perhaps you've forgotten who you are--"

"No, _Malfoy_ ," Snape hissed. "I haven't. I've always treaded carefully, a skill you clearly never learned. Part of that has always been learning to deflect suspicion... without the luxury of buying my way out of sticky situations."

Harry smirked at Mr Malfoy's glare. Snape looked calmly.

"A luxury that you may not have this time. Accused once of aiding the Dark Lord is one thing, but twice?" Snape shrugged. "Come, Malfoy. The aurors will be wanting to meet you." And he led Malfoy away at wandpoint.

Dobby turned to Harry, instantly relaxing. "Harry Potter freed Dobby!" He grinned happily.

Harry grinned back. "Just, please, promise me never to try and save my life again."

Dobby laughed sheepishly.

"I've got to go," Harry said. "Will you be alright?"

"Harry Potter is greater than Dobby knew," Dobby sobbed. "Goodbye Harry Potter." He waved and then vanished with a loud crack.

 

Harry thought releasing Dobby would be the last good bit of the night until Hermione rushed from the Gryffindor table, finally un-petrified--to give Harry a fierce hug, screaming, "You solved it! You solved it!" And it only got better from there.

In true Hogwarts fashion, it seemed the news of what had happened in the Chamber had already spread. Harry new Pansy and the Slytherin prefects had a super power when it came to sharing news. Several Hufflepuffs and a few students from the other houses came up to him on his way to the Slytherin table and apologized for suspecting him. As Harry finally passed the Gryffindor table, Fred and George Weasley both howled at him about the Slytherin's heir bet--the fact that it had been Voldemort, Malfoy, and Ginny seemed to amuse them.

Harry took his seat near Theo, Blaise, Daphne, and Ginny, and finally, for perhaps the first time since the sorting, felt truly at home with the Slytherin house. They had proved that night that Slytherins could do good things--and Harry knew they would keep proving it.

Hagrid turned up slightly late, greeting Harry and his friends at their respective tables. Harry gave him a huge hug. It wouldn't be Hogwarts without Hagrid. McGonagall stood up and announced that exams would be cancelled. Harry heard Malfoy groan at Pansy about wanting to have a go at "beating Granger's marks", but Harry knew Hermione would be even more put out that Malfoy was. Dumbledore announced that Lockhart had fled the school in a panic, and that many of his possessions and portraits had been ruined by Peeves (Harry later learned from Ron that Fred and George had set Peeves upon Lockhart's office--and they both agreed that knowing the twins could convince Peeves to do some things was excellent information to have).

And finally, Dumbledore announced that Slytherin, thanks to Harry and Theo's recent points, had won the House Cup. The table exploded in cheers. Harry, Theo, Ginny and Blaise all grinned at Ron and Hermione from across the Great Hall. Theo elbowed Harry, pointing up to the High Table, where McGonagall was shaking Snape's hand, laughing at whatever he had muttered to her.

"Got back at the Gryffindors for last year," Harry said. Theo nodded happily

... It was the best Hogwarts feat Harry had ever had.

 

The final term passed quickly and Harry found himself on the train back to the muggle world, surrounded by his friends in a compartment.

"By the way, what did Dumbledore keep you back for?" Theo asked Harry as they shared a box of Every Flavour Beans with Ron. The compartment looked at Harry.

Harry had been debating telling then what Dumbledore had said about Voldemort. It still scared him, worried him, and he didn't think the others wouldn't also be worried or afraid. But again, his friends had proven that they would stand by him, no matter what.

"...He told me that Vol--You-Know-Know--That he gave me some of his powers without knowing. That night he tried to kill me." Harry touched his scar idly. 

Ron looked shocked.

"Is that possible?" Theo asked.

"No one thought that surviving the killing curse was possible," Hermione mused. "I want to look into this. Maybe it's happened before with other curses."

"It makes sense though," Ron said. Blaise nodded. "The Parseltongue, I mean." He looked at Harry. "And anyways, it hasn't been a bad thing, has it? Helped save the school this year."

Harry nodded and smiled, relieved. The fact that his friends were with him, and cared about him, mattered more to him than any connection with Voldemort, or any fears he had about it.

A knock on the compartment door window startled them all. Draco Malfoy was standing outside. He pointed at Harry and then looked away. Harry stood and went into the corridor of the train, closing it slowly behind him on his friends' curious looks. He doubted Malfoy would be trying to start a fight as he did the first time they were on the train together. Malfoy didn't look angry, but thoughtful.

"My father's going to be on trial in a month. Mother thinks he'll be sent to Azkaban," Malfoy said, without preamble. Harry blinked in surprise.

"Ah," he said, unsure of how to respond. Malfoy always boasted about his family, but his anger toward Lucius in Dumbledore's office made it seem that there was more to the story.

Malfoy cast him a side-long glance. "Looking back on things, he was never very nice to me. I don't think I like him very much."

Harry's eyes widened at the admission. "So... how do you want the trial to turn out?"

"I think things will change for the better if he's locked up," Malfoy admitted. "Learning what an absolute prat he is has already... changed things. So... I wanted to say thank you." He held out a hand.

Harry shook it, smiling. They let go and Harry turned to head back into his compartment.

"This doesn't mean we're friends, Potter!" Malfoy called over his shoulder from a ways down the corridor.

Harry grinned. He was definitely looking forward to next year.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Year Two was an interesting challenge here. I wanted to keep up the tension between Harry and some of his housemates, as Harry isn't quite the type to fit in with many of the Slytherins he went to school with. There's also still obvious tension between him and Gryffindor, and both of these obviously become to more of a problem when Harry is outed as a Parselmouth.
> 
> I wanted to work on a lot of groundwork as far as relationships between the characters went. Malfoy, Snape, Malfoy's family... They all needed little pushes for change.
> 
> I also got some comments about which characters I was including, and some feedback on how it seemed I wasn't having Harry hang around with too many Slytherins. Things like this will change more with each year as Harry finds his place at Hogwarts, within his house, with his friends and classmates. But the comments also pushed me to be more conscious of what I was including in later chapters. So, if you ever have feedback about things you feel I'm missing, please let me know, I really appreciate it.
> 
> Thanks for reading so far. Hopefully you'll stick with me through Year Three! :)
> 
> ***
> 
> *A note about Year Three: I'm taking my time on it. It's my favorite one of the entire series, so I really want to make it as best as it can be. So if it's a little bit of a wait before Chapter one of POA is up, know that I'm doing my best for the thing :)


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